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Xiong L, Chen Y, Chen L, Hua R, Shen N, Yang G. Enhanced protective immunity against Baylisascaris schroederi infection in mice through a multi-antigen cocktail vaccine approach. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:20. [PMID: 38072876 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08016-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: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Baylisascaris schroederi is among the most severe intestinal nematodes affecting giant pandas. Developing effective and secure vaccines can be used as a novel strategy for controlling repeated roundworm infection and addressing drug resistance. In our previous study, three recombinant antigens (rBsHP2, rBsGAL, and rBsUP) exhibited promising effects against B. schroederi infection in the mice model. This study extends the findings by formulating four-form cocktail vaccines (GAL+UP, HP2+UP, GAL+HP2, and GAL+HP2+UP) using three B. schroederi recombinant antigens to improve protection in mice further. Additionally, the protective differences after immunizing mice with different doses of cocktail antigens (150 μg, 100 μg, and 50 μg) were analyzed. Administration of rBs(GAL+UP), rBs(HP2+UP), rBs(GAL+HP2), and rBs(GAL+HP2+UP) significantly reduced liver and lung lesions, along with a decrease in L3 larvae by 83.7%, 82.1%, 76.4%, and 75.1%, respectively. These vaccines induced a Th1/Th2 mixed immunity, evidenced by elevated serum antibody levels (IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgE, and IgA) and splenocyte cytokines [interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-10]. Furthermore, varying cocktail vaccine dosages did not significantly affect protection. The results confirm that a 50 μg rBs(GAL+UP) dosage holds promise as a better candidate vaccine combination against B. schroederi infection, providing a basis for developing the B. schroederi vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Xiong
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanxin Chen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruiqi Hua
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China
| | - Nengxing Shen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China.
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Ahumada V, Zakzuk J, Aglas L, Coronado S, Briza P, Regino R, Ferreira F, Caraballo L. Comparison of Antibody Responses against Two Molecules from Ascaris lumbricoides: The Allergen Asc l 5 and the Immunomodulatory Protein Al-CPI. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1340. [PMID: 37887050 PMCID: PMC10604738 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Immunity to Ascaris lumbricoides influences the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Antibody responses to its proteins have been found to be associated with asthma presentation; however, helminth products that induce immunosuppression have been reported, which also raise specific antibodies. We aimed to evaluate antibody responses (IgE, IgG4 and IgG) to two A. lumbricoides molecules, Asc l 5 and Al-CPI (an anti-inflammatory Cysteine Protease Inhibitor), in an endemic population, exploring their relationships with the infection and asthma. The two molecules were produced as recombinant proteins in E. coli expression systems. Specific antibodies were detected by ELISA. Lower human IgE, but higher IgG4 and IgG antibody levels were observed for Al-CPI than for rAsc l 5. The IgE/IgG4 isotype ratio was significantly higher for Asc l 5 than for Al-CPI. In humans Al-CPI did not induce basophil activation as has been previously described for Asc l 5. In mice, Al-CPI induced fewer IgE responses, but more IgG2a antibody titers than rAsc l 5. Our results suggest that these molecules elicit different patterns of immune response to A. lumbricoides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velky Ahumada
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130012, Colombia; (V.A.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Josefina Zakzuk
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130012, Colombia; (V.A.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Lorenz Aglas
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Sandra Coronado
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130012, Colombia; (V.A.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Peter Briza
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Ronald Regino
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130012, Colombia; (V.A.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Fátima Ferreira
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Luis Caraballo
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130012, Colombia; (V.A.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
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Xiong L, Chen L, Chen Y, Shen N, Hua R, Yang G. Evaluation of the immunoprotective effects of eight recombinant proteins from Baylisascaris schroederi in mice model. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:254. [PMID: 37501169 PMCID: PMC10375773 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05886-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Baylisascaris schroederi is the most common and harmful intestinal parasitic nematode of giant pandas, causing ascariasis. Although drug deworming is the main measure to control ascariasis in captive giant pandas, prolonged and repeated use of deworming drugs might induce resistance in nematodes and drug residues in giant pandas. Therefore, developing a safe and effective vaccine might provide a novel strategy to prevent ascariasis in captive giant pandas. METHODS Four highly expressed secretome genes encoding excretory and secretory proteins of B. schroederi, including transthyretin-like protein 46 (BsTLP), uncharacterized protein (BsUP), hypothetical protein 1 (BsHP1), and hypothetical protein 2 (BsHP2) and four functional genes [(encoding Galectin (BsGAL), glutathione S-transferase (BsGST), fatty acid-binding protein (BsFABP), and thioredoxin peroxidase (BsTPX)] were identified based on genome and transcriptome databases of B. schroederi and used to construct recombinant proteins via prokaryotic expression. Kunming mice were vaccinated subcutaneously twice with the recombinant proteins (50 μg/mouse) mixed with Quil A adjuvant with a 2-week interval and then orally challenged with 3000 infective eggs. The immunoprotective effects of the eight recombinant proteins on mice were assessed comprehensively using surface lesion histology scores of the mouse liver and lung, larval worm reduction, serum antibody levels (IgG, IgE, IgA, IgG1, and IgG2a), and cytokine production [interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10]. RESULTS Mice vaccinated with recombinant (r)BsUP (76.5%), rBsGAL (74.7%), and rBsHP2 (71.5%) showed a significant (P < 0.001) reduction in the larval worm rate compared with that in the adjuvant control. Besides, the surface lesions in the liver and lung of the vaccinated mice were alleviated. Serum levels of total IgG, IgE, IgA, IgG1, IgG2a, and cytokines, including IL-10, IL-5, and IFN-γ, were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS The results showed that candidate three vaccines (rBsUP, rBsGAL, and rBsHP2) could provide effective protection against egg infection in mice associated with a mixed Th1/2-type immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Xiong
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanxin Chen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Nengxing Shen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruiqi Hua
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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In silico design of a polypeptide as a vaccine candidate against ascariasis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3504. [PMID: 36864139 PMCID: PMC9981566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30445-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ascariasis is the most prevalent zoonotic helminthic disease worldwide, and is responsible for nutritional deficiencies, particularly hindering the physical and neurological development of children. The appearance of anthelmintic resistance in Ascaris is a risk for the target of eliminating ascariasis as a public health problem by 2030 set by the World Health Organisation. The development of a vaccine could be key to achieving this target. Here we have applied an in silico approach to design a multi-epitope polypeptide that contains T-cell and B-cell epitopes of reported novel potential vaccination targets, alongside epitopes from established vaccination candidates. An artificial toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) adjuvant (RS09) was added to improve immunogenicity. The constructed peptide was found to be non-allergic, non-toxic, with adequate antigenic and physicochemical characteristics, such as solubility and potential expression in Escherichia coli. A tertiary structure of the polypeptide was used to predict the presence of discontinuous B-cell epitopes and to confirm the molecular binding stability with TLR2 and TLR4 molecules. Immune simulations predicted an increase in B-cell and T-cell immune response after injection. This polypeptide can now be validated experimentally and compared to other vaccine candidates to assess its possible impact in human health.
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Zhan B, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Lustigman S. Advancing a Human Onchocerciasis Vaccine From Antigen Discovery to Efficacy Studies Against Natural Infection of Cattle With Onchocerca ochengi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:869039. [PMID: 35444961 PMCID: PMC9015098 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.869039] [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: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human onchocerciasis is a devastating neglected tropical disease caused by infection of the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus. The infection can cause irreversible visual impairment or blindness and stigmatizing dermatitis. More than 32 million people were estimated to be infected with O. volvulus in Africa, and 385,000 suffered from blindness. Even though the implementation of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin has reduced the global prevalence of onchocerciasis, O. volvulus infection remains challenging to control because MDA with ivermectin cannot be implemented in endemic areas co-endemic with loiasis due to the risk of severe adverse events. There is also emerging drug resistance to ivermectin that further complicates the elimination of onchocerciasis. Thus, the development of a vaccine that would induce protective immunity and reduce infection burden is essential. Efforts to develop prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines for onchocerciasis have been explored since the late 1980s by many researchers and entities, and here we summarize the recent advances made in the development of vaccines against the infection of O. volvulus and onchocerciasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhan
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sara Lustigman
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, United States
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Gazzinelli-Guimarães AC, Nogueira DS, Amorim CCO, Oliveira FMS, Coqueiro-Dos-Santos A, Carvalho SAP, Kraemer L, Barbosa FS, Fraga VG, Santos FV, de Castro JC, Russo RC, Akamatsu MA, Ho PL, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Zhan B, Bartholomeu DC, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT. ASCVac-1, a Multi-Peptide Chimeric Vaccine, Protects Mice Against Ascaris suum Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:788185. [PMID: 34992603 PMCID: PMC8724438 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.788185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of human ascariasis, the most prevalent neglected tropical disease globally affecting 450 million people, mostly relies on mass drug administration of anthelmintics. However, chemotherapy alone is not efficient due to the high re-infection rate for people who live in the endemic area. The development of a vaccine that reduces the intensity of infection and maintains lower morbidity should be the primary target for infection control. Previously, our group demonstrated that immunization with crude Ascaris antigens in mice induced an IgG-mediated protective response with significant worm reduction. Here, we aimed to develop a multipeptide chimera vaccine based on conserved B-cell epitopes predicted from 17 common helminth proteomes using a bioinformatics algorithm. More than 480 B-cell epitopes were identified that are conserved in all 17 helminths. The Ascaris-specific epitopes were selected based on their reactivity to the pooled sera of mice immunized with Ascaris crude antigens or infected three times with A. suum infective eggs. The top 35 peptides with the strongest reactivity to Ascaris immune serum were selected to construct a chimeric antigen connected in sequence based on conformation. This chimera, called ASCVac-1, was produced as a soluble recombinant protein in an Escherichia coli expression system and, formulated with MPLA, was used to immunize mice. Mice immunized with ASCVac-1/MPLA showed around 50% reduced larvae production in the lungs after being challenged with A. suum infective eggs, along with significantly reduced inflammation and lung tissue/function damage. The reduced parasite count and pathology in infected lungs were associated with strong Th2 immune responses characterized by the high titers of antigen-specific IgG and its subclasses (IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG3) in the sera and significantly increased IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 levels in lung tissues. The reduced IL-33 titers and stimulated eosinophils were also observed in lung tissues and may also contribute to the ASCVac-1-induced protection. Taken together, the preclinical trial with ASCVac-1 chimera in a mouse model demonstrated its significant vaccine efficacy associated with strong IgG-based Th2 responses, without IgE induction, thus reducing the risk of an allergic response. All results suggest that the multiepitope-based ASCVac-1 chimera is a promising vaccine candidate against Ascaris sp. infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Denise Silva Nogueira
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Lucas Kraemer
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Vanessa Gomes Fraga
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Flaviane Vieira Santos
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Remo Castro Russo
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Milena Apetito Akamatsu
- BioIndustrial Division, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo Secretary of Health, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- BioIndustrial Division, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo Secretary of Health, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bin Zhan
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara,
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The yin and yang of human soil-transmitted helminth infections. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:1243-1253. [PMID: 34774540 PMCID: PMC9145206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The major soil-transmitted helminths that infect humans are the roundworms, whipworms and hookworms. Soil-transmitted helminth infections rank among the most important neglected tropical diseases in terms of morbidity, and almost one billion people are still infected with at least one species. While anthelmintic drugs are available, they do not offer long term protection against reinfection, precipitating the need for vaccines that provide long-term immunologic defense. Vaccine discovery and development is in advanced clinical development for hookworm infection, with a bivalent human hookworm vaccine in clinical trials in Brazil and Africa, but is in its infancy for both roundworm (ascariasis) and whipworm (trichuriasis) infections. One of the greatest hurdles to developing soil-transmitted helminth vaccines is the potent immunoregulatory properties of these helminths, creating a barrier to the induction of meaningful long-term protective immunity. While challenging for vaccinologists, this phenomenon presents unique opportunities to develop an entirely new class of anti-inflammatory drugs that capitalise on these immunomodulatory strategies. Epidemiologic studies and clinical trials employing experimental soil-transmitted helminth challenge models, when coupled with findings from animal models, show that at least some soil-transmitted helminth-derived molecules can protect against the onset of autoimmune, allergic and metabolic disorders, and several natural products with the desired bioactivity have been isolated and tested in pre-clinical settings. The yin and yang of soil-transmitted helminth infections reflect both the urgency for effective vaccines and the potential for new immunoregulatory molecules from parasite products.
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Gazzinelli-Guimarães AC, Gazzinelli-Guimarães P, Weatherhead JE. A historical and systematic overview of Ascaris vaccine development. Parasitology 2021; 148:1795-1805. [PMID: 35586777 PMCID: PMC9109942 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021001347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Ascariasis is the most prevalent helminth infection in the world and leads to significant, life-long morbidity, particularly in young children. Current efforts to control and eradicate ascariasis in endemic regions have been met with significant challenges including high-rates of re-infection and potential development of anthelminthic drug resistance. Vaccines against ascariasis are a key tool that could break the transmission cycle and lead to disease eradication globally. Evolution of the Ascaris vaccine pipeline has progressed, however no vaccine product has been brought to human clinical trials to date. Advancement in recombinant protein technology may provide the first step in generating an Ascaris vaccine as well as a pan-helminthic vaccine ready for human trials. However, several roadblocks remain and investment in new technologies will be important to develop a successful human Ascaris vaccine that is critically needed to prevent significant morbidity in Ascaris-endemic regions around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jill E. Weatherhead
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Perera DJ, Ndao M. Promising Technologies in the Field of Helminth Vaccines. Front Immunol 2021; 12:711650. [PMID: 34489961 PMCID: PMC8418310 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.711650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminths contribute a larger global burden of disease than both malaria and tuberculosis. These eukaryotes have caused human infections since before our earliest recorded history (i.e.: earlier than 1200 B.C. for Schistosoma spp.). Despite the prevalence and importance of these infections, helminths are considered a neglected tropical disease for which there are no vaccines approved for human use. Similar to other parasites, helminths are complex organisms which employ a plethora of features such as: complex life cycles, chronic infections, and antigenic mimicry to name a few, making them difficult to target by conventional vaccine strategies. With novel vaccine strategies such as viral vectors and genetic elements, numerous constructs are being defined for a wide range of helminth parasites; however, it has yet to be discussed which of these approaches may be the most effective. With human trials being conducted, and a pipeline of potential anti-helminthic antigens, greater understanding of helminth vaccine-induced immunity is necessary for the development of potent vaccine platforms and their optimal design. This review outlines the conventional and the most promising approaches in clinical and preclinical helminth vaccinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilhan J Perera
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Program of Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Momar Ndao
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Program of Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Kaur R, Arora N, Rawat SS, Keshri AK, Singh N, Show SK, Kumar P, Mishra A, Prasad A. Immunoinformatics driven construction of multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Ascaris lumbricoides using its entire immunogenic epitopes. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1637-1649. [PMID: 34448645 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1974298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ascaris lumbricoides infects 80 million people per year, causing malnutrition, stunted growth of children etc., but there is no vaccine available against it. We aimed to design a multimeric-subunit vaccine using comprehensive immunoinformatic approach. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The T and B cell epitopes were shortlisted on antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity from proteome data and joined with appropriate linkers. The physical characteristics of vaccine candidate was calculated and docking/molecular dynamic simulation performed to validate its robustness. The multimeric protein was codon optimized and in-silico cloned in pET28b. RESULTS From the 23,604 proteins of Ascaris, we filtered based on epitope prediction, localization, antigenicity, and allergenicity. Prepared a vaccine of 534 amino acid long, 56.31 kD weight and pI 4.52. Physiochemical features showed it is soluble, highly antigenic and non-allergenic. Its tertiary structure was forecasted, certified, and refined. The immunoinformatic simulation studies showed it to be potent T and B cell stimulator. CONCLUSIONS We identified highly antigenic peptides of Ascaris from its proteome with good potential to induce innate as well as humoral immune response. These peptides were used to design a chimeric vaccine against Ascariasis infection, which can be used for prophylactic purpose but needs experimental and clinical validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimanpreet Kaur
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Naina Arora
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Suraj Singh Rawat
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Anand Kumar Keshri
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Neha Singh
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Sumit Kumar Show
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
| | - Pramod Kumar
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, India
| | - Amit Prasad
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, India
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Ahumada V, Manotas M, Zakzuk J, Aglas L, Coronado S, Briza P, Lackner P, Regino R, Araujo G, Ferreira F, Caraballo L. Identification and Physicochemical Characterization of a New Allergen from Ascaris lumbricoides. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249761. [PMID: 33371317 PMCID: PMC7767342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To analyze the impact of Ascaris lumbricoides infection on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of allergic diseases, new allergens should be identified. We report the identification of a new Ascaris lumbricoides allergen, Asc l 5. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and immunological features of the Asc l 5 allergen. We constructed an A. lumbricoides cDNA library and Asc l 5 was identified by immunoscreening. After purification, rAsc l 5 was physicochemically characterized. Evaluation of its allergenic activity included determination of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding frequency (in two populations: 254 children and 298 all-age subjects), CD203c based-basophil activation tests (BAT) and a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) mouse model. We found by amino acid sequence analysis that Asc l 5 belongs to the SXP/RAL-2 protein family of nematodes. rAsc l 5 is a monomeric protein with an alpha-helical folding. IgE sensitization to rAsc l 5 was around 52% in general population; positive BAT rate was 60%. rAsc l 5 induced specific IgE production in mice and a positive PCA reaction. These results show that Asc l 5 has structural and immunological characteristics to be considered as a new allergen from A. lumbricoides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velky Ahumada
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - María Manotas
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Josefina Zakzuk
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Lorenz Aglas
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (P.L.); (G.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Sandra Coronado
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Peter Briza
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (P.L.); (G.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Peter Lackner
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (P.L.); (G.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Ronald Regino
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
| | - Galber Araujo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (P.L.); (G.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Fatima Ferreira
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.A.); (P.B.); (P.L.); (G.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Luis Caraballo
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130014, Colombia; (V.A.); (M.M.); (J.Z.); (S.C.); (R.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +57-3103527373
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de Castro JC, de Almeida LV, Cardoso MS, Oliveira FMS, Nogueira DS, Reis-Cunha JL, Magalhaes LMD, Zhan B, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Bueno LL, Bartholomeu DC, Fujiwara RT. Vaccination with chimeric protein induces protection in murine model against ascariasis. Vaccine 2020; 39:394-401. [PMID: 33248854 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.11.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
An estimated 400 million people are infected by parasites of the genus Ascaris and the existing control measures are inefficient. Vaccine development using B cell antigens is a promising strategy for increased protection against this parasite. The present study aimed at developing a chimeric protein capable of conferring protection against infection by Ascaris sp. For this purpose, we performed B-cell epitope predictions on previously described vaccine candidate proteins from Ascaris suum and the corresponding peptides were used to construct a chimeric protein. Female BALB / c mice were immunized subcutaneously in three doses at 10 day intervals with a vaccine formulation comprised of the chimeric protein together with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA). Control groups included protein alone, MPLA, or PBS. After challenge infection, animals vaccinated with chimeric protein plus MPLA showed a reduction of 73.54% of larval load in the lung compared to control group animals. Animals immunized with chimeric protein plus MPLA also display higher IgG response and a reduction in lung inflammation. Our study highlights how chimeric proteins containing more than one B cell epitope can enhance immune protection against helminthic infection and offer new approaches to the development of Ascaris vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseane C de Castro
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Laila V de Almeida
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fabricio M Silva Oliveira
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Denise S Nogueira
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Luis Reis-Cunha
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luisa M D Magalhaes
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Bin Zhan
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lilian L Bueno
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo T Fujiwara
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Bloco E4, Sala 168, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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13
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Zawawi A, Else KJ. Soil-Transmitted Helminth Vaccines: Are We Getting Closer? Front Immunol 2020; 11:576748. [PMID: 33133094 PMCID: PMC7565266 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.576748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic helminths infect over one-fourth of the human population resulting in significant morbidity, and in some cases, death in endemic countries. Despite mass drug administration (MDA) to school-aged children and other control measures, helminth infections are spreading into new areas. Thus, there is a strong rationale for developing anthelminthic vaccines as cost-effective, long-term immunological control strategies, which, unlike MDA, are not haunted by the threat of emerging drug-resistant helminths nor limited by reinfection risk. Advances in vaccinology, immunology, and immunomics include the development of new tools that improve the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of vaccines; and some of these tools have been used in the development of helminth vaccines. The development of anthelminthic vaccines is fraught with difficulty. Multiple lifecycle stages exist each presenting stage-specific antigens. Further, helminth parasites are notorious for their ability to dampen down and regulate host immunity. One of the first significant challenges in developing any vaccine is identifying suitable candidate protective antigens. This review explores our current knowledge in lead antigen identification and reports on recent pre-clinical and clinical trials in the context of the soil-transmitted helminths Trichuris, the hookworms and Ascaris. Ultimately, a multivalent anthelminthic vaccine could become an essential tool for achieving the medium-to long-term goal of controlling, or even eliminating helminth infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayat Zawawi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,*Correspondence: Ayat Zawawi
| | - Kathryn J. Else
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom,Kathryn J. Else
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Partridge FA, Forman R, Bataille CJR, Wynne GM, Nick M, Russell AJ, Else KJ, Sattelle DB. Anthelmintic drug discovery: target identification, screening methods and the role of open science. Beilstein J Org Chem 2020; 16:1203-1224. [PMID: 32550933 PMCID: PMC7277699 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.16.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminths, including cestodes, nematodes and trematodes, are a huge global health burden, infecting hundreds of millions of people. In many cases, existing drugs such as benzimidazoles, diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin and praziquantel are insufficiently efficacious, contraindicated in some populations, or at risk of the development of resistance, thereby impeding progress towards World Health Organization goals to control or eliminate these neglected tropical diseases. However, there has been limited recent progress in developing new drugs for these diseases due to lack of commercial attractiveness, leading to the introduction of novel, more efficient models for drug innovation that attempt to reduce the cost of research and development. Open science aims to achieve this by encouraging collaboration and the sharing of data and resources between organisations. In this review we discuss how open science has been applied to anthelmintic drug discovery. Open resources, including genomic information from many parasites, are enabling the identification of targets for new antiparasitic agents. Phenotypic screening remains important, and there has been much progress in open-source systems for compound screening with parasites, including motility assays but also high content assays with more detailed investigation of helminth physiology. Distributed open science compound screening programs, such as the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box, have been successful at facilitating screening in diverse assays against many different parasite pathogens and models. Of the compounds identified so far in these screens, tolfenpyrad, a repurposed insecticide, shows significant promise and there has been much progress in creating more potent and selective derivatives. This work exemplifies how open science approaches can catalyse drug discovery against neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A Partridge
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Forman
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Carole J R Bataille
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Graham M Wynne
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Marina Nick
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Angela J Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J Else
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - David B Sattelle
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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15
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Else KJ, Keiser J, Holland CV, Grencis RK, Sattelle DB, Fujiwara RT, Bueno LL, Asaolu SO, Sowemimo OA, Cooper PJ. Whipworm and roundworm infections. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2020; 6:44. [PMID: 32467581 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-020-0171-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Trichuriasis and ascariasis are neglected tropical diseases caused by the gastrointestinal dwelling nematodes Trichuris trichiura (a whipworm) and Ascaris lumbricoides (a roundworm), respectively. Both parasites are staggeringly prevalent, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas, and are associated with substantial morbidity. Infection is initiated by ingestion of infective eggs, which hatch in the intestine. Thereafter, T. trichiura larvae moult within intestinal epithelial cells, with adult worms embedded in a partially intracellular niche in the large intestine, whereas A. lumbricoides larvae penetrate the gut mucosa and migrate through the liver and lungs before returning to the lumen of the small intestine, where adult worms dwell. Both species elicit type 2 anti-parasite immunity. Diagnosis is typically based on clinical presentation (gastrointestinal symptoms and inflammation) and the detection of eggs or parasite DNA in the faeces. Prevention and treatment strategies rely on periodic mass drug administration (generally with albendazole or mebendazole) to at-risk populations and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene. The effectiveness of drug treatment is very high for A. lumbricoides infections, whereas cure rates for T. trichiura infections are low. Novel anthelminthic drugs are needed, together with vaccine development and tools for diagnosis and assessment of parasite control in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J Else
- Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Celia V Holland
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Richard K Grencis
- Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - David B Sattelle
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Rayne Building, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ricardo T Fujiwara
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lilian L Bueno
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Samuel O Asaolu
- Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Oluyomi A Sowemimo
- Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Philip J Cooper
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK.,Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, de la Salud y la Vida, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
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Ebner F, Morrison E, Bertazzon M, Midha A, Hartmann S, Freund C, Álvaro-Benito M. CD4 + T h immunogenicity of the Ascaris spp. secreted products. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:25. [PMID: 32218997 PMCID: PMC7083960 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-0171-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascaris spp. is a major health problem of humans and animals alike, and understanding the immunogenicity of its antigens is required for developing urgently needed vaccines. The parasite-secreted products represent the most relevant, yet complex (>250 proteins) antigens of Ascaris spp. as defining the pathogen-host interplay. We applied an in vitro antigen processing system coupled to quantitative proteomics to identify potential CD4+ Th cell epitopes in Ascaris-secreted products. This approach considerably restricts the theoretical list of epitopes using conventional CD4+ Th cell epitope prediction tools. We demonstrate the specificity and utility of our approach on two sets of candidate lists, allowing us identifying hits excluded by either one or both computational methods. More importantly, one of the candidates identified experimentally, clearly demonstrates the presence of pathogen-reactive T cells in healthy human individuals against these antigens. Thus, our work pipeline identifies the first human T cell epitope against Ascaris spp. and represents an easily adaptable platform for characterization of complex antigens, in particular for those pathogens that are not easily amenable for in vivo experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Ebner
- 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Centre for Infection Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eliot Morrison
- 2Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Miriam Bertazzon
- 2Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ankur Midha
- 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Centre for Infection Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Hartmann
- 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Centre for Infection Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Freund
- 2Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Miguel Álvaro-Benito
- 2Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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17
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Versteeg L, Wei J, Liu Z, Keegan B, Fujiwara RT, Jones KM, Asojo O, Strych U, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Zhan B. Protective immunity elicited by the nematode-conserved As37 recombinant protein against Ascaris suum infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008057. [PMID: 32053593 PMCID: PMC7017989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ascaris lumbricoides is one of the three major soil-transmitted gastrointestinal helminths (STHs) that infect more than 440 million people in the world, ranking this neglected tropical disease among the most common afflictions of people living in poverty. Children infected with this roundworm suffer from malnutrition, growth stunting as well as cognitive and intellectual deficits. An effective vaccine is urgently needed to complement anthelmintic deworming as a better approach to control helminth infections. As37 is an immunodominant antigen of Ascaris suum, a pig roundworm closely related to the human A. lumbricoides parasite, recognized by protective immune sera from A. suum infected mice. In this study, the immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy of recombinant As37 were evaluated in a mouse model. Methodology/Principal findings As37 was cloned and expressed as a soluble recombinant protein (rAs37) in Escherichia coli. The expressed rAs37 was highly recognized by protective immune sera from A. suum egg-infected mice. Balb/c mice immunized with 25 μg rAs37 formulated with AddaVax™ adjuvant showed significant larval worm reduction after challenge with A. suum infective eggs when compared with a PBS (49.7%) or adjuvant control (48.7%). Protection was associated with mixed Th1/2-type immune responses characterized by high titers of serological IgG1 and IgG2a and stimulation of the production of cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13. In this experiment, the AddaVax™ adjuvant induced better protection than the Th1-type adjuvant MPLA (38.9%) and the Th2-type adjuvant Alhydrogel (40.7%). Sequence analysis revealed that As37 is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) and highly conserved in other human STHs. Anti-As37 antibodies strongly recognized homologs in hookworms (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, A. caninum) and in the whipworm Trichuris muris, but there was no cross-reaction with human spleen tissue extracts. These results suggest that the nematode-conserved As37 could serve as a pan-helminth vaccine antigen to prevent all STH infections without cross-reaction with human IgSF molecules. Conclusions/Significance As37 is an A. suum expressed immunodominant antigen that elicited significant protective immunity in mice when formulated with AddaVax™. As37 is highly conserved in other STHs, but not in humans, suggesting it could be further developed as a pan-helminth vaccine against STH co-infections. Ascaris infection is the most common infection of humans living in poverty worldwide and can result in malnutrition and stunted physical and mental development in children. A preventive vaccine is urgently needed as a complementary approach to anthelmintic deworming to increase the efficiency of STH infection control. To develop a vaccine against Ascaris infection, an immunodominant antigen, As37 of A. suum, was cloned and expressed as a soluble recombinant protein in E. coli. The recombinant As37 protein (rAs37) was highly recognized by protective immune sera from A. suum infected mice. Balb/c mice immunized with 25 μg rAs37 formulated with the adjuvant AddaVax™ showed significant larval worm reduction against challenge with A. suum infective eggs when compared to a PBS (49.7%) or adjuvant control (48.7%). Protection was associated with a mixed Th1/2-type immune response characterized by high titers of serological IgG1 and IgG2a and stimulation of the production of cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13. The AddaVax™ adjuvant induced better protection than the Th1-type adjuvant MPLA (38.9%) and the Th2-type adjuvant Alhydrogel (40.7%). Sequence analysis revealed that As37 was a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) and highly conserved in other human STHs. Anti-As37 antibodies strongly recognized homologs in hookworms (Necator americanus, A. ceylanicum, A. caninum) and in the whipworm T. muris, but there was no cross-reaction with human spleen tissue extracts. These results indicate that the nematode-conserved As37 protein could be developed as a pan-helminth vaccine antigen to prevent all STH infections without reacting with human IgSF molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leroy Versteeg
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Junfei Wei
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Zhuyun Liu
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Brian Keegan
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ricardo T. Fujiwara
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Oluwatoyin Asojo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ulrich Strych
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
| | - Bin Zhan
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Stachyra A, Zawistowska-Deniziak A, Basałaj K, Grzelak S, Gondek M, Bień-Kalinowska J. The Immunological Properties of Recombinant Multi-Cystatin-Like Domain Protein From Trichinella Britovi Produced in Yeast. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2420. [PMID: 31681308 PMCID: PMC6797592 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichinellosis is a globally-distributed zoonotic parasitic disease caused by nematode worms of the genus Trichinella. One of the most common species of Trichinella known to affect human health is T. britovi; however, it is relatively poorly investigated. A thorough knowledge of the proteins expressed by Trichinella is important when developing immunological detection methods and vaccines and studying its interactions with the host. The present study uses the Pichia pastoris expression system to produce a soluble TbCLP antigen which induces strong antibody responses in the host during natural infection. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of TbCLP antigen production in yeasts, which are able to carry out post-translational modifications such as glycosylation and disulfide bond formation; they also indicate that the glycosylated TbCLP antigen had immunogenic effects in the tested mice and induced a mixed Th1/Th2 response, and was associated with a reduced larval burden after challenge with T. britovi. Subsequent in vitro stimulation of mice splenocytes revealed that TbCLP most likely possesses immunomodulatory properties and may play a significant role in the early phase of infection, affecting host immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Stachyra
- Witold Stefanski Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Katarzyna Basałaj
- Witold Stefanski Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sylwia Grzelak
- Witold Stefanski Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Gondek
- Department of Food Hygiene of Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Kumar R, Kumar P. Yeast-based vaccines: New perspective in vaccine development and application. FEMS Yeast Res 2019; 19:5298404. [PMID: 30668686 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foz007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In presently licensed vaccines, killed or attenuated organisms act as a source of immunogens except for peptide-based vaccines. These conventional vaccines required a mass culture of associated or related organisms and long incubation periods. Special requirements during storage and transportation further adds to the cost of vaccine preparations. Availability of complete genome sequence, well-established genetic, inherent natural adjuvant and non-pathogenic nature of yeast species viz. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris makes them an ideal model system for the development of vaccines both for public health and for on-farm consumption. In this review, we compile the work in this emerging field during last two decades with major emphases on S. cerevisiae and P. pastoris which are routinely used worldwide for expression of heterologous proteins with therapeutic value against infectious diseases along with possible use in cancer therapy. We also pointed towards the developments in use of whole recombinant yeast, yeast surface display and virus-like particles as a novel strategy in the fight against infectious diseases and cancer along with other aspects including suitability of yeast in vaccines preparations, yeast cell wall component as an immune stimulator or modulator and present status of yeast-based vaccines in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravinder Kumar
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Piyush Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, Maharashtra, India
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Gazzinelli-Guimarães AC, Gazzinelli-Guimarães PH, Nogueira DS, Oliveira FMS, Barbosa FS, Amorim CCO, Cardoso MS, Kraemer L, Caliari MV, Akamatsu MA, Ho PL, Jones KM, Weatherhead J, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Zhan B, Bartholomeu DC, Russo RC, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT. IgG Induced by Vaccination With Ascaris suum Extracts Is Protective Against Infection. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2535. [PMID: 30473693 PMCID: PMC6238660 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Human ascariasis has a global and cosmopolitan distribution, and has been characterized as the most prevalent neglected tropical disease worldwide. The development of a preventive vaccine is highly desirable to complement current measures required for this parasitic infection control and to reduce chronic childhood morbidities. In the present study, we describe the mechanism of protection elicited by a preventive vaccine against ascariasis. Vaccine efficacy was evaluated after immunization with three different Ascaris suum antigen extracts formulated with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) as an adjuvant: crude extract of adult worm (ExAD); crude extract of adult worm cuticle (CUT); and crude extract of infective larvae (L3) (ExL3). Immunogenicity elicited by immunization was assessed by measuring antibody responses, cytokine production, and influx of tissue inflammatory cells. Vaccine efficacy was evaluated by measuring the reductions in the numbers of larvae in the lungs of immunized BALB/c mice that were challenged with A. suum eggs. Moreover, lung physiology and functionality were tested by spirometry to determine clinical efficacy. Finally, the role of host antibody mediated protection was determined by passive transfer of serum from immunized mice. Significant reductions in the total number of migrating larvae were observed in mice immunized with ExL3 61% (p < 0.001), CUT 59% (p < 0.001), and ExAD 51% (p < 0.01) antigens in comparison with non-immunized mice. For the Ascaris antigen-specific IgG antibody levels, a significant and progressive increase was observed with each round of immunization, in association with a marked increase of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses. Moreover, a significant increase in concentration of IL-5 and IL-10 (pre-challenge) in the blood and IL-10 in the lung tissue (post-challenge) was induced by CUT immunization. Finally, ExL3 and CUT-immunized mice showed a marked improvement in lung pathology and tissue fibrosis as well as reduced pulmonary dysfunction induced by Ascaris challenge, when compared to non-immunized mice. Moreover, the passive transfer of specific IgG antibodies from ExL3, CUT, and ExAD elicited a protective response in naïve mice, with significant reductions in parasite burdens in lungs of 65, 64, and 64%, respectively. Taken together, these studies indicated that IgG antibodies contribute to protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Denise Silva Nogueira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Fernando Sérgio Barbosa
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lucas Kraemer
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Vidigal Caliari
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Milena Apetito Akamatsu
- BioIndustrial Division, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo Secretary of Health, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- BioIndustrial Division, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo Secretary of Health, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kathryn Marie Jones
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jill Weatherhead
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bin Zhan
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Remo Castro Russo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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21
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Briggs N, Wei J, Versteeg L, Zhan B, Keegan B, Damania A, Pollet J, Hayes KS, Beaumier C, Seid CA, Leong J, Grencis RK, Bottazzi ME, Sastry KJ, Hotez PJ. Trichuris muris whey acidic protein induces type 2 protective immunity against whipworm. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007273. [PMID: 30153307 PMCID: PMC6130879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) infects approximately 1 in 15 people worldwide, representing the leading infectious cause of colitis and subsequent, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Current control measures focused on mass deworming have had limited success due to low drug efficacies. Vaccination would be an ideal, cost-effective strategy to induce protective immunity, leading to control of infection and transmission. Here we report the identification of whey acidic protein, a whipworm secretory protein, as a strong immunogen for inducing protective efficacy in a surrogate mouse T. muris infection model. The recombinant WAP protein (rTm-WAP49), as well as a single, highly conserved repeat within WAP (fragment 8) expressed as an Na-GST-1 fusion protein (rTm-WAP-F8+Na-GST-1), generate a strong T helper type 2 (Th2) immune response when delivered as subcutaneous vaccines formulated with Montanide ISA 720. Oral challenge with T. muris infective eggs following vaccination led to a significant reduction in worm burden of 48% by rTm-WAP49 and 33% by rTm-WAP-F8+Na-GST-1. The cellular immune correlates of protection included significant antigen-specific production of Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-9, and IL-13 by cells isolated from the vaccine-draining inguinal lymph nodes, parasite-draining mesenteric lymph nodes, and spleen in mice vaccinated with either rTm-WAP49 or rTm-WAP-F8+Na-GST-1. The humoral immune correlates included a high antigen-specific ratio of IgG1 to IgG2a, without eliciting an IgE-mediated allergic response. Immunofluorescent staining of adult T. muris with WAP antisera identified the worm's pathogenic stichosome organ as the site of secretion of native Tm-WAP protein into the colonic mucosa. Given the high sequence conservation for the WAP proteins from T. muris and T. trichiura, the results presented here support the WAP protein to be further evaluated as a potential human whipworm vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neima Briggs
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Junfei Wei
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Bin Zhan
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Brian Keegan
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Ashish Damania
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Kelly S. Hayes
- School of Biological Sciences, FBMH, MAHSC, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Coreen Beaumier
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Seid
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jamie Leong
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Richard K. Grencis
- School of Biological Sciences, FBMH, MAHSC, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - K. Jagannadha Sastry
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
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Choubini E, Habibi M, Khorshidi A, Ghasemi A, Asadi Karam MR, Bouzari S. A novel multi-peptide subunit vaccine admixed with AddaVax adjuvant produces significant immunogenicity and protection against Proteus mirabilis urinary tract infection in mice model. Mol Immunol 2018. [PMID: 29525454 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Proteus mirabilis is a common pathogen in urinary tract infections (UTIs). There is no vaccine against P. mirabilis, thus a novel multi-peptide vaccine of MrpA, UcaA and Pta factors of P. mirabilis we designed and a mice model was used to evaluate its efficacy in combination with AddaVax adjuvant. According to the bioinformatics studies, 7 fragments of MrpA (31-75, 112-146), UcaA (68-117, 132-156) and Pta (210-265, 340-400, 496-570) with B and T cell epitope regions were selected for fusion construction. Mice subcutaneously vaccinated with the fusion MrpA.Pta.UcaA induced a significant increase in serum and mucosal IgG and IgA responses. The fusion also showed a significant induction in cellular responses (Th1 and Th2). The addition of AddaVax to fusion and the mixture of MrpA, UcaA, and Pta (MUP) improved the humoral and cellular responses, especially the IgG2a and IFN-γ (Th1 responses) levels. Fusion with and without AddaVax and MUP + AddaVax could maintain significant humoral responses until 6 months after the first vaccine dose. All vaccine combinations with and without adjuvant showed high effectiveness in the protection of the bladder and kidney against experimental UTI; this could be attributed to the significant humoral and cellular responses. The present study suggests that the AddaVax-based vaccine formulations especially the fusion Pta.MrpA.UcaA admixed with AddaVax as potential vaccine candidates for protection against P. mirabilis. Furthermore, AddaVax could be considered as an effective adjuvant in designing other vaccines against UTI pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Choubini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran; Department of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Ave., Tehran 13164, Iran
| | - Mehri Habibi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Ave., Tehran 13164, Iran
| | - Ahmad Khorshidi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Amir Ghasemi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | | | - Saeid Bouzari
- Department of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Ave., Tehran 13164, Iran
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