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Roe SK, Felter B, Zheng B, Ram S, Wetzler LM, Garges E, Zhu T, Genco CA, Massari P. In Vitro Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Gonococcal Trivalent Candidate Vaccine Identified by Transcriptomics. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1846. [PMID: 38140249 PMCID: PMC10747275 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, poses a significant global public health threat. Infection in women can be asymptomatic and may result in severe reproductive complications. Escalating antibiotic resistance underscores the need for an effective vaccine. Approaches being explored include subunit vaccines and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), but an ideal candidate remains elusive. Meningococcal OMV-based vaccines have been associated with reduced rates of gonorrhea in retrospective epidemiologic studies, and with accelerated gonococcal clearance in mouse vaginal colonization models. Cross-protection is attributed to shared antigens and possibly cross-reactive, bactericidal antibodies. Using a Candidate Antigen Selection Strategy (CASS) based on the gonococcal transcriptome during human mucosal infection, we identified new potential vaccine targets that, when used to immunize mice, induced the production of antibodies with bactericidal activity against N. gonorrhoeae strains. The current study determined antigen recognition by human sera from N. gonorrhoeae-infected subjects, evaluated their potential as a multi-antigen (combination) vaccine in mice and examined the impact of different adjuvants (Alum or Alum+MPLA) on functional antibody responses to N. gonorrhoeae. Our results indicated that a stronger Th1 immune response component induced by Alum+MPLA led to antibodies with improved bactericidal activity. In conclusion, a combination of CASS-derived antigens may be promising for developing effective gonococcal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shea K. Roe
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Brian Felter
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Bo Zheng
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA (S.R.)
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA (S.R.)
| | - Lee M. Wetzler
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Eric Garges
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Tianmou Zhu
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Caroline A. Genco
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Paola Massari
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
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Martinez FG, Zielke RA, Fougeroux CE, Li L, Sander AF, Sikora AE. Development of a Tag/Catcher-mediated capsid virus-like particle vaccine presenting the conserved Neisseria gonorrhoeae SliC antigen that blocks human lysozyme. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0024523. [PMID: 37916806 PMCID: PMC10715030 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00245-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising nanotools for the development of subunit vaccines due to high immunogenicity and safety. Herein, we explored the versatile and effective Tag/Catcher-AP205 capsid VLP (cVLP) vaccine platform to address the urgent need for the development of an effective and safe vaccine against gonorrhea. The benefits of this clinically validated cVLP platform include its ability to facilitate unidirectional, high-density display of complex/full-length antigens through an effective split-protein Tag/Catcher conjugation system. To assess this modular approach for making cVLP vaccines, we used a conserved surface lipoprotein, SliC, that contributes to the Neisseria gonorrhoeae defense against human lysozyme, as a model antigen. This protein was genetically fused at the N- or C-terminus to the small peptide Tag enabling their conjugation to AP205 cVLP, displaying the complementary Catcher. We determined that SliC with the N-terminal SpyTag, N-SliC, retained lysozyme-blocking activity and could be displayed at high density on cVLPs without causing aggregation. In mice, the N-SliC-VLP vaccines, adjuvanted with AddaVax or CpG, induced significantly higher antibody titers compared to controls. In contrast, similar vaccine formulations containing monomeric SliC were non-immunogenic. Accordingly, sera from N-SliC-VLP-immunized mice also had significantly higher human complement-dependent serum bactericidal activity. Furthermore, the N-SliC-VLP vaccines administered subcutaneously with an intranasal boost elicited systemic and vaginal IgG and IgA, whereas subcutaneous delivery alone failed to induce vaginal IgA. The N-SliC-VLP with CpG (10 µg/dose) induced the most significant increase in total serum IgG and IgG3 titers, vaginal IgG and IgA, and bactericidal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian G. Martinez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Ryszard A. Zielke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Lixin Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Adam F. Sander
- AdaptVac Aps, Hørsholm, Denmark
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Aleksandra E. Sikora
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
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Song S, Wang S, Jiang X, Yang F, Gao S, Lin X, Cheng H, van der Veen S. Th1-polarized MtrE-based gonococcal vaccines display prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2249124. [PMID: 37584947 PMCID: PMC10467530 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2249124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTGlobal dissemination of high-level ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains associated with the FC428 clone poses a threat to the efficacy ceftriaxone-based therapies. Vaccination is the best strategy to contain multidrug-resistant infections. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of MtrE and its surface Loop2 as vaccine antigens when combined with a Th1-polarizing adjuvant, which is expected to be beneficial for gonococcal vaccine development. Using in vitro dendritic cell maturation and T cell differentiation assays, CpG1826 was identified as the optimal Th1-polarizing adjuvant for MtrE and Loop2 displayed as linear epitope (Nloop2) or structural epitope (Intraloop2) on a carrier protein. Loop2-based antigens raised strongly Th1-polarized and bactericidal antibody responses in vaccinated mice. Furthermore, the vaccine formulations provided protection against a gonococcal challenge in mouse vaginal tract infection model when provided as prophylactic vaccines. Also, the vaccine formulations accelerated gonococcal clearance when provided as a single therapeutic dose to treat an already established infection, including against a strain associated with the FC428 clone. Therefore, this study demonstrated that MtrE and Loop 2 are effective gonococcal vaccine antigens when combined with the Th1-polarizing CpG1826 adjuvant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaijie Song
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuyi Wang
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyun Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuai Gao
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu’ai Lin
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hao Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Stijn van der Veen
- Department of Microbiology, and Department of Dermatology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Microbial Biochemistry and Metabolic Engineering, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Girgis MM, Christodoulides M. Vertebrate and Invertebrate Animal and New In Vitro Models for Studying Neisseria Biology. Pathogens 2023; 12:782. [PMID: 37375472 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The history of Neisseria research has involved the use of a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate animal models, from insects to humans. In this review, we itemise these models and describe how they have made significant contributions to understanding the pathophysiology of Neisseria infections and to the development and testing of vaccines and antimicrobials. We also look ahead, briefly, to their potential replacement by complex in vitro cellular models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Girgis
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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