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Mihaylova NM, Manoylov IK, Nikolova MH, Prechl J, Tchorbanov AI. DNA and protein-generated chimeric molecules for delivery of influenza viral epitopes in mouse and humanized NSG transfer models. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2292381. [PMID: 38193304 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2292381] [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: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Purified subunit viral antigens are weakly immunogenic and stimulate only the antibody but not the T cell-mediated immune response. An alternative approach to inducing protective immunity with small viral peptides may be the targeting of viral epitopes to immunocompetent cells by DNA and protein-engineered vaccines. This review will focus on DNA and protein-generated chimeric molecules carrying engineered fragments specific for activating cell surface co-receptors for inducing protective antiviral immunity. Adjuvanted protein-based vaccine or DNA constructs encoding simultaneously T- and B-cell peptide epitopes from influenza viral hemagglutinin, and scFvs specific for costimulatory immune cell receptors may induce a significant increase of anti-influenza antibody levels and strong CTL activity against virus-infected cells in a manner that mimics the natural infection. Here we summarize the development of several DNA and protein chimeric constructs carrying influenza virus HA317-41 fragment. The generated engineered molecules were used for immunization in intact murine and experimentally humanized NSG mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolina M Mihaylova
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iliyan K Manoylov
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Maria H Nikolova
- National Reference Laboratory of Immunology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | - Andrey I Tchorbanov
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
- National Institute of Immunology, Sofia, Bulgaria
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White CL, Glover MA, Gandhapudi SK, Richards KA, Sant AJ. Flublok Quadrivalent Vaccine Adjuvanted with R-DOTAP Elicits a Robust and Multifunctional CD4 T Cell Response That Is of Greater Magnitude and Functional Diversity Than Conventional Adjuvant Systems. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:281. [PMID: 38543915 PMCID: PMC10975948 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12030281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
It is clear that new approaches are needed to promote broadly protective immunity to viral pathogens, particularly those that are prone to mutation and escape from antibody-mediated immunity. CD4+ T cells, known to target many viral proteins and highly conserved peptide epitopes, can contribute greatly to protective immunity through multiple mechanisms. Despite this potential, CD4+ T cells are often poorly recruited by current vaccine strategies. Here, we have analyzed a promising new adjuvant (R-DOTAP), as well as conventional adjuvant systems AddaVax with or without an added TLR9 agonist CpG, to promote CD4+ T cell responses to the licensed vaccine Flublok containing H1, H3, and HA-B proteins. Our studies, using a preclinical mouse model of vaccination, revealed that the addition of R-DOTAP to Flublok dramatically enhances the magnitude and functionality of CD4+ T cells specific for HA-derived CD4+ T cell epitopes, far outperforming conventional adjuvant systems based on cytokine EliSpot assays and multiparameter flow cytometry. The elicited CD4+ T cells specific for HA-derived epitopes produce IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4/5, and granzyme B and have multifunctional potential. Hence, R-DOTAP, which has been verified safe by human studies, can offer exciting opportunities as an immune stimulant for next-generation prophylactic recombinant protein-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantelle L. White
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (C.L.W.); (M.A.G.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Maryah A. Glover
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (C.L.W.); (M.A.G.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Siva K. Gandhapudi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508, USA;
| | - Katherine A. Richards
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (C.L.W.); (M.A.G.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Andrea J. Sant
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (C.L.W.); (M.A.G.); (K.A.R.)
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Zhang X, Shi H, Hendy DA, Bachelder EM, Ainslie KM, Ross TM. Multi-COBRA hemagglutinin formulated with cGAMP microparticles elicit protective immune responses against influenza viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.27.582355. [PMID: 38464191 PMCID: PMC10925245 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.27.582355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Influenza viruses cause a common respiratory disease known as influenza. In humans, seasonal influenza viruses can lead to epidemics, with avian influenza viruses of particular concern because they can infect multiple species and lead to unpredictable and severe disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a universal influenza vaccine that provides protection against seasonal and pre-pandemic influenza virus strains. The cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) is a promising adjuvant for subunit vaccines that promotes type I interferons production through the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. The encapsulation of cGAMP in acetalated dextran (Ace-DEX) microparticles (MPs) enhances its intracellular delivery. In this study, the Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigen (COBRA) methodology was used to generate H1, H3, and H5 vaccine candidates. Monovalent and multivalent COBRA HA vaccines formulated with cGAMP Ace-DEX MPs were evaluated in a mouse model for antibody responses and protection against viral challenge. Serological analysis showed that cGAMP MPs adjuvanted monovalent and multivalent COBRA vaccines elicited robust antigen-specific antibody responses after a prime-boost vaccination and antibody titers were further enhanced after second boost. Compared to COBRA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs, the cGAMP MPs enhanced HAI antibody responses against COBRA vaccination. The HAI antibody titers were not significantly different between cGAMP MPs adjuvanted monovalent and multivalent COBRA vaccine groups for most of the viruses tested in panels. The cGAMP MPs adjuvanted COBRA vaccines groups had higher antigen-specific IgG2a binding titers than the COBRA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs. The COBRA vaccines formulated with cGAMP MPs mitigated disease caused by influenza viral challenge and decreased pulmonary viral titers in mice. Therefore, the formulation of COBRA vaccines plus cGAMP MPs is a promising universal influenza vaccine that elicits protective immune responses against human seasonal and pre-pandemic strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojian Zhang
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Hua Shi
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Dylan A. Hendy
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Eric M. Bachelder
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Kristy M. Ainslie
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ted M. Ross
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Port Saint, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA
- Department of Infection Biology, Lehner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Song WW, Wan MY, She JY, Zhao SL, Liu DJ, Chang HY, Deng L. Sequential Immunizations with Influenza Neuraminidase Protein Followed by Peptide Nanoclusters Induce Heterologous Protection. Viruses 2024; 16:77. [PMID: 38257777 PMCID: PMC10819419 DOI: 10.3390/v16010077] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhancing cross-protections against diverse influenza viruses is desired for influenza vaccinations. Neuraminidase (NA)-specific antibody responses have been found to independently correlate with a broader influenza protection spectrum. Here, we report a sequential immunization regimen that includes priming with NA protein followed by boosting with peptide nanoclusters, with which targeted enhancement of antibody responses in BALB/c mice to certain cross-protective B-cell epitopes of NA was achieved. The nanoclusters were fabricated via desolvation with absolute ethanol and were only composed of composite peptides. Unlike KLH conjugates, peptide nanoclusters would not induce influenza-unrelated immunity. We found that the incorporation of a hemagglutinin peptide of H2-d class II restriction into the composite peptides could be beneficial in enhancing the NA peptide-specific antibody response. Of note, boosters with N2 peptide nanoclusters induced stronger serum cross-reactivities to heterologous N2 and even heterosubtypic N7 and N9 than triple immunizations with the prototype recombinant tetrameric (rt) N2. The mouse challenge experiments with HK68 H3N2 also demonstrated the strong effectiveness of the peptide nanocluster boosters in conferring heterologous protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Wen Song
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
| | - Mu-Yang Wan
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
| | - Jia-Yue She
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
| | - Shi-Long Zhao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
| | - De-Jian Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
| | - Hai-Yan Chang
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Lei Deng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (W.-W.S.); (M.-Y.W.); (J.-Y.S.); (S.-L.Z.); (D.-J.L.)
- Beijing Weimiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Haidian District, Beijing 100093, China
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