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Krenger PS, Roques M, Vogt ACS, Pardini A, Rothen DA, Balke I, Schnider ST, Mohsen MO, Heussler VT, Zeltins A, Bachmann MF. Probing novel epitopes on the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein for vaccine development. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:225. [PMID: 39557901 PMCID: PMC11574195 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-01006-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 11/20/2024] Open
Abstract
RTS,S and R21 are the only vaccines recommended by the WHO to protect children from Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) clinical malaria. Both vaccines target the Pf sporozoite surface protein circumsporozoite protein (CSP). Recent studies showed that human antibodies neutralize Pf sporozoites most efficiently when simultaneously binding to the PfCSP NANP repeat and the NPDP junction domain. However, neither RTS,S nor R21 targets this junction domain. To test the potential of the NPDP junction domain and other sites of PfCSP as innovative vaccine targets, we developed multiple vaccine candidates based on cucumber mosaic virus-like particles (CuMVTT-VLPs). These candidates vary in several aspects: the number of targeted NANP repeats, the presence or absence of the junction domain, the cleavage site, and up to three NVDP repeats within the target sequence. Immunogenicity and efficacy studies were conducted in BALB/c mice, utilizing chimeric Plasmodium berghei (Pb) sporozoites, in which the endogenous CSP has been replaced by PfCSP (Pb/PfCSP). We observed a positive association between the number of targeted NANP repeats and the induction of specific IgM/IgG antibodies. Elevated humoral responses led to enhanced protection against parasitemia after Pb/PfCSP sporozoite challenge. Especially high-avidity/affinity antibody formation and vaccine protection were NANP repeat-dependent. Intriguingly, vaccine efficacy was not enhanced by targeting sites on PfCSP other than the NANP repeats. Our data emphasize the dominant role of the NANP repeat region for induction of protective antibodies. Furthermore, we present here novel malaria vaccine candidates with an excellent immunogenic profile that confer sterile protection in mice, even in absence of adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal S Krenger
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Magali Roques
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Cathrine S Vogt
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Pardini
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominik A Rothen
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ina Balke
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Sophie T Schnider
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mona O Mohsen
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Andris Zeltins
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
- Saiba AG, Pfäffikon, Switzerland
| | - Martin F Bachmann
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department for Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology (CCMP), The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Lokras AG, Bobak TR, Baghel SS, Sebastiani F, Foged C. Advances in the design and delivery of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 213:115419. [PMID: 39111358 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
RNA medicines represent a paradigm shift in treatment and prevention of critical diseases of global significance, e.g., infectious diseases. The highly successful messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were developed at record speed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A consequence of this is exceptionally shortened vaccine development times, which in combination with adaptability makes the RNA vaccine technology highly attractive against infectious diseases and for pandemic preparedness. Here, we review state of the art in the design and delivery of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases based on different RNA modalities, including linear mRNA, self-amplifying RNA, trans-amplifying RNA, and circular RNA. We provide an overview of the clinical pipeline of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases, and present analytical procedures, which are paramount for characterizing quality attributes and guaranteeing their quality, and we discuss future perspectives for using RNA vaccines to combat pathogens beyond SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijeet Girish Lokras
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Thomas Rønnemoes Bobak
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Saahil Sandeep Baghel
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Federica Sebastiani
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
| | - Camilla Foged
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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3
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Wang J, Fang Y, Luo Z, Wang J, Zhao Y. Emerging mRNA Technology for Liver Disease Therapy. ACS NANO 2024; 18:17378-17406. [PMID: 38916747 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c02987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Liver diseases have consistently posed substantial challenges to global health. It is crucial to find innovative methods to effectively prevent and treat these diseases. In recent times, there has been an increasing interest in the use of mRNA formulations that accumulate in liver tissue for the treatment of hepatic diseases. In this review, we start by providing a detailed introduction to the mRNA technology. Afterward, we highlight types of liver diseases, discussing their causes, risks, and common therapeutic strategies. Additionally, we summarize the latest advancements in mRNA technology for the treatment of liver diseases. This includes systems based on hepatocyte growth factor, hepatitis B virus antibody, left-right determination factor 1, human hepatocyte nuclear factor α, interleukin-12, methylmalonyl-coenzyme A mutase, etc. Lastly, we provide an outlook on the potential of mRNA technology for the treatment of liver diseases, while also highlighting the various technical challenges that need to be addressed. Despite these difficulties, mRNA-based therapeutic strategies may change traditional treatment methods, bringing hope to patients with liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yile Fang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Zhiqiang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Jinglin Wang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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4
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Sobczak JM, Barkovska I, Balke I, Rothen DA, Mohsen MO, Skrastina D, Ogrina A, Martina B, Jansons J, Bogans J, Vogel M, Bachmann MF, Zeltins A. Identifying Key Drivers of Efficient B Cell Responses: On the Role of T Help, Antigen-Organization, and Toll-like Receptor Stimulation for Generating a Neutralizing Anti-Dengue Virus Response. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:661. [PMID: 38932390 PMCID: PMC11209419 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12060661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
T help (Th), stimulation of toll-like receptors (pathogen-associated molecular patterns, PAMPs), and antigen organization and repetitiveness (pathogen-associated structural patterns, PASPs) were shown numerous times to be important in driving B-cell and antibody responses. In this study, we dissected the individual contributions of these parameters using newly developed "Immune-tag" technology. As model antigens, we used eGFP and the third domain of the dengue virus 1 envelope protein (DV1 EDIII), the major target of virus-neutralizing antibodies. The respective proteins were expressed alone or genetically fused to the N-terminal fragment of the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) capsid protein-nCMV, rendering the antigens oligomeric. In a step-by-step manner, RNA was attached as a PAMP, and/or a universal Th-cell epitope was genetically added for additional Th. Finally, a PASP was added to the constructs by displaying the antigens highly organized and repetitively on the surface of CMV-derived virus-like particles (CuMV VLPs). Sera from immunized mice demonstrated that each component contributed stepwise to the immunogenicity of both proteins. All components combined in the CuMV VLP platform induced by far the highest antibody responses. In addition, the DV1 EDIII induced high levels of DENV-1-neutralizing antibodies only if displayed on VLPs. Thus, combining multiple cues typically associated with viruses results in optimal antibody responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan M. Sobczak
- Department of Immunology, University Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.A.R.); (M.O.M.); (M.V.); (M.F.B.)
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Irena Barkovska
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Ina Balke
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Dominik A. Rothen
- Department of Immunology, University Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.A.R.); (M.O.M.); (M.V.); (M.F.B.)
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mona O. Mohsen
- Department of Immunology, University Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.A.R.); (M.O.M.); (M.V.); (M.F.B.)
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dace Skrastina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Anete Ogrina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Byron Martina
- Artemis Bioservices, 2629 JD Delft, The Netherlands;
- Protinhi Therapeutics, 6534 AT Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Juris Jansons
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Janis Bogans
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
| | - Monique Vogel
- Department of Immunology, University Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.A.R.); (M.O.M.); (M.V.); (M.F.B.)
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martin F. Bachmann
- Department of Immunology, University Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.A.R.); (M.O.M.); (M.V.); (M.F.B.)
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Andris Zeltins
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia; (I.B.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.O.); (J.J.); (J.B.); (A.Z.)
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5
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Wang J, Zhu H, Gan J, Liang G, Li L, Zhao Y. Engineered mRNA Delivery Systems for Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308029. [PMID: 37805865 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutic strategies have shown remarkable promise in preventing and treating a staggering range of diseases. Optimizing the structure and delivery system of engineered mRNA has greatly improved its stability, immunogenicity, and protein expression levels, which has led to a wider range of uses for mRNA therapeutics. Herein, a thorough analysis of the optimization strategies used in the structure of mRNA is first provided and delivery systems are described in great detail. Furthermore, the latest advancements in biomedical engineering for mRNA technology, including its applications in combatting infectious diseases, treating cancer, providing protein replacement therapy, conducting gene editing, and more, are summarized. Lastly, a perspective on forthcoming challenges and prospects concerning the advancement of mRNA therapeutics is offered. Despite these challenges, mRNA-based therapeutics remain promising, with the potential to revolutionize disease treatment and contribute to significant advancements in the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Haofang Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Jingjing Gan
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Gaofeng Liang
- Institute of Organoids on Chips Translational Research, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450009, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Organoids on Chips Translational Research, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450009, China
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6
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Żebrowska J, Mucha P, Prusinowski M, Krefft D, Żylicz-Stachula A, Deptuła M, Skoniecka A, Tymińska A, Zawrzykraj M, Zieliński J, Pikuła M, Skowron PM. Development of hybrid biomicroparticles: cellulose exposing functionalized fusion proteins. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:81. [PMID: 38481305 PMCID: PMC10938831 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02344-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the leading current trends in technology is the miniaturization of devices to the microscale and nanoscale. The highly advanced approaches are based on biological systems, subjected to bioengineering using chemical, enzymatic and recombinant methods. Here we have utilised the biological affinity towards cellulose of the cellulose binding domain (CBD) fused with recombinant proteins. RESULTS Here we focused on fusions with 'artificial', concatemeric proteins with preprogrammed functions, constructed using DNA FACE™ technology. Such CBD fusions can be efficiently attached to micro-/nanocellulose to form functional, hybrid bionanoparticles. Microcellulose (MCC) particles were generated by a novel approach to enzymatic hydrolysis using Aspergillus sp. cellulase. The interaction between the constructs components - MCC, CBD and fused concatemeric proteins - was evaluated. Obtaining of hybrid biomicroparticles of a natural cellulose biocarrier with proteins with therapeutic properties, fused with CBD, was confirmed. Further, biological tests on the hybrid bioMCC particles confirmed the lack of their cytotoxicity on 46BR.1 N fibroblasts and human adipose derived stem cells (ASCs). The XTT analysis showed a slight inhibition of the proliferation of 46BR.1 N fibroblasts and ACSs cells stimulated with the hybrid biomicroparticles. However, in both cases no changes in the morphology of the examined cells after incubation with the hybrid biomicroparticles' MCC were detected. CONCLUSIONS Microcellulose display with recombinant proteins involves utilizing cellulose, a natural polymer found in plants, as a platform for presenting or displaying proteins. This approach harnesses the structural properties of cellulose to express or exhibit various recombinant proteins on its surface. It offers a novel method for protein expression, presentation, or immobilization, enabling various applications in biotechnology, biomedicine, and other fields. Microcellulose shows promise in biomedical fields for wound healing materials, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, and as a component in bio-sensors due to its biocompatibility and structural properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Żebrowska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland.
- BioVentures Institute Ltd, Poznan, 60-141, Poland.
| | - Piotr Mucha
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland
| | - Maciej Prusinowski
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland
| | - Daria Krefft
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland
- BioVentures Institute Ltd, Poznan, 60-141, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Żylicz-Stachula
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland
- BioVentures Institute Ltd, Poznan, 60-141, Poland
| | - Milena Deptuła
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Aneta Skoniecka
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Agata Tymińska
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Zawrzykraj
- Division of Clinical Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Jacek Zieliński
- Department of Oncologic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-211, Poland
| | - Piotr M Skowron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, 80-308, Poland
- BioVentures Institute Ltd, Poznan, 60-141, Poland
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Shim K, Jo H, Jeoung D. Cancer/Testis Antigens as Targets for RNA-Based Anticancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14679. [PMID: 37834126 PMCID: PMC10572814 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, RNA-based drugs have emerged as a promising candidate in the treatment of various diseases. The introduction of messenger RNA (mRNA) as a vaccine or therapeutic agent enables the production of almost any functional protein/peptide. The key to applying RNA therapy in clinical trials is developing safe and effective delivery systems. Exosomes and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been exploited as promising vehicles for drug delivery. This review discusses the feasibility of exosomes and LNPs as vehicles for mRNA delivery. Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) show restricted expression in normal tissues and widespread expression in cancer tissues. Many of these CTAs show expression in the sera of patients with cancers. These characteristics of CTAs make them excellent targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review summarizes the roles of CTAs in various life processes and current studies on mRNAs encoding CTAs. Clinical studies present the beneficial effects of mRNAs encoding CTAs in patients with cancers. This review highlight clinical studies employing mRNA-LNPs encoding CTAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dooil Jeoung
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea; (K.S.); (H.J.)
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8
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Zak AJ, Hoang T, Yee CM, Rizvi SM, Prabhu P, Wen F. Pseudotyping Improves the Yield of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) as Tools for Vaccine and Therapeutic Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14622. [PMID: 37834067 PMCID: PMC10572262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have been proposed as an attractive tool in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development, both as (1) a vaccine candidate with high immunogenicity and low reactogenicity and (2) a substitute for live virus in functional and neutralization assays. Though multiple SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs have already been explored in Sf9 insect cells, a key parameter ensuring VLPs are a viable platform is the VLP spike yield (i.e., spike protein content in VLP), which has largely been unreported. In this study, we show that the common strategy of producing SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by expressing spike protein in combination with the native coronavirus membrane and/or envelope protein forms VLPs, but at a critically low spike yield (~0.04-0.08 mg/L). In contrast, fusing the spike ectodomain to the influenza HA transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail and co-expressing M1 increased VLP spike yield to ~0.4 mg/L. More importantly, this increased yield translated to a greater VLP spike antigen density (~96 spike monomers/VLP) that more closely resembles that of native SARS-CoV-2 virus (~72-144 Spike monomers/virion). Pseudotyping further allowed for production of functional alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), delta (B.1.617.2), and omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 VLPs that bound to the target ACE2 receptor. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of pseudotyped VLPs to test neutralizing antibody activity using a simple, acellular ELISA-based assay performed at biosafety level 1 (BSL-1). Taken together, this study highlights the advantage of pseudotyping over native SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs in achieving higher VLP spike yield and demonstrates the usefulness of pseudotyped VLPs as a surrogate for live virus in vaccine and therapeutic development against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Fei Wen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (P.P.)
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9
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Loan Young T, Chang Wang K, James Varley A, Li B. Clinical Delivery of Circular RNA: Lessons Learned from RNA Drug Development. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 197:114826. [PMID: 37088404 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNA) represent a distinct class of covalently closed-loop RNA molecules, which play diverse roles in regulating biological processes and disease states. The enhanced stability of synthetic circRNAs compared to their linear counterparts has recently garnered considerable research interest, paving the way for new therapeutic applications. While clinical circRNA technology is still in its early stages, significant advancements in mRNA technology offer valuable insights into its potential future applications. Two primary obstacles that must be addressed are the development of efficient production methods and the optimization of delivery systems. To expedite progress in this area, this review aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on circRNA structure and function, outline recent techniques for synthesizing circRNAs, highlight key delivery strategies and applications, and discuss the current challenges and future prospects in the field of circRNA-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiana Loan Young
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Kevin Chang Wang
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Andrew James Varley
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Bowen Li
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C1, Canada.
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10
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Affonso de Oliveira JF, Zhao Z, Xiang Y, Shin MD, Villaseñor KE, Deng X, Shukla S, Chen S, Steinmetz NF. COVID-19 vaccines based on viral nanoparticles displaying a conserved B-cell epitope show potent immunogenicity and a long-lasting antibody response. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1117494. [PMID: 37152732 PMCID: PMC10157238 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1117494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 sparked intensive research into the development of effective vaccines, 50 of which have been approved thus far, including the novel mRNA-based vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna. Although limiting the severity of the disease, the mRNA-based vaccines presented drawbacks, such as the cold chain requirement. Moreover, antibody levels generated by these vaccines decline significantly after 6 months. These vaccines deliver mRNA encoding the full-length spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, but must be updated as new strains and variants of concern emerge, creating a demand for adjusted formulations and booster campaigns. To overcome these challenges, we have developed COVID-19 vaccine candidates based on the highly conserved SARS CoV-2, 809-826 B-cell peptide epitope (denoted 826) conjugated to cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) nanoparticles and bacteriophage Qβ virus-like particles, both platforms have exceptional thermal stability and facilitate epitope delivery with inbuilt adjuvant activity. We evaluated two administration methods: subcutaneous injection and an implantable polymeric scaffold. Mice received a prime-boost regimen of 100 μg per dose (2 weeks apart) or a single dose of 200 μg administered as a liquid formulation, or a polymer implant. Antibody titers were evaluated longitudinally over 50 weeks. The vaccine candidates generally elicited an early Th2-biased immune response, which stimulates the production of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, followed by a switch to a Th1-biased response for most formulations. Exceptionally, vaccine candidate 826-CPMV (administered as prime-boost, soluble injection) elicited a balanced Th1/Th2 immune response, which is necessary to prevent pulmonary immunopathology associated with Th2 bias extremes. While the Qβ-based vaccine elicited overall higher antibody titers, the CPMV-induced antibodies had higher avidity. Regardless of the administration route and formulation, our vaccine candidates maintained high antibody titers for more than 50 weeks, confirming a potent and durable immune response against SARS-CoV-2 even after a single dose.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhongchao Zhao
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yi Xiang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Matthew D. Shin
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Xinyi Deng
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sourabh Shukla
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Shaochen Chen
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Chu KB, Quan FS. Respiratory Viruses and Virus-like Particle Vaccine Development: How Far Have We Advanced? Viruses 2023; 15:v15020392. [PMID: 36851606 PMCID: PMC9965150 DOI: 10.3390/v15020392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
With technological advancements enabling globalization, the intercontinental transmission of pathogens has become much easier. Respiratory viruses are one such group of pathogens that require constant monitoring since their outbreak leads to massive public health crises, as exemplified by the influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2. To prevent the transmission of these highly contagious viruses, developing prophylactic tools, such as vaccines, is of considerable interest to the scientific community. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly sought after as vaccine platforms for their safety and immunogenicity profiles. Although several VLP-based vaccines against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus have been approved for clinical use by the United States Food and Drug Administration, VLP vaccines against the three aforementioned respiratory viruses are lacking. Here, we summarize the most recent progress in pre-clinical and clinical VLP vaccine development. We also outline various strategies that contributed to improving the efficacy of vaccines against each virus and briefly discuss the stability aspect of VLPs that makes it a highly desired vaccine platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Back Chu
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, Core Research Institute (CRI), Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, Core Research Institute (CRI), Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence:
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12
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Brandys P, Montagutelli X, Merenkova I, Barut GT, Thiel V, Schork NJ, Trüeb B, Conquet L, Deng A, Antanasijevic A, Lee HK, Valière M, Sindhu A, Singh G, Herold J. A mRNA Vaccine Encoding for a RBD 60-mer Nanoparticle Elicits Neutralizing Antibodies and Protective Immunity Against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Transgenic K18-hACE2 Mice. Front Immunol 2022; 13:912898. [PMID: 35874687 PMCID: PMC9299372 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.912898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic there is still a need for vaccines to effectively control the spread of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants and associated cases of severe disease. Here we report a messenger RNA vaccine directly encoding for a nanoparticle displaying 60 receptor binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 that acts as a highly effective antigen. A construct encoding the RBD of the Delta variant elicits robust neutralizing antibody response, and also provides protective immunity against the Delta variant in a widely used transgenic mouse model. We ultimately find that the proposed mRNA RBD nanoparticle-based vaccine provides a flexible platform for rapid development and will likely be of great value in combatting current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xavier Montagutelli
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Mouse Genetics Laboratory, Paris, France
| | | | - Güliz T. Barut
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas J. Schork
- Quantitative Medicine & Systems Biology Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Bettina Trüeb
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laurine Conquet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Mouse Genetics Laboratory, Paris, France
| | - Aihua Deng
- BTS Research, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Aleksandar Antanasijevic
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Jens Herold
- Phylex BioSciences, Del Mar, CA, United States
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