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Reiter L, Greffrath J, Zidel B, Ostrowski M, Gommerman J, Madhi SA, Tran R, Martin-Orozco N, Panicker RKG, Cooper C, Pastrak A. Comparable safety and non-inferior immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine candidate PTX-COVID19-B and BNT162b2 in a phase 2 randomized, observer-blinded study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5365. [PMID: 38438427 PMCID: PMC10912344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55320-1] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 into a seasonal pathogen along with the emergence of new variants, underscores the need for dynamic and adaptable responses, emphasizing the importance of sustained vaccination strategies. This observer-blind, double-dummy, randomized immunobridging phase 2 study (NCT05175742) aimed to compare the immunogenicity induced by two doses of 40 μg PTX-COVID19-B vaccine candidate administered 28 days apart, with the response induced by two doses of 30 µg Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2), administered 21 days apart, in Nucleocapsid-protein seronegative adults 18-64 years of age. Both vaccines were administrated via intramuscular injection in the deltoid muscle. Two weeks after the second dose, the neutralizing antibody (NAb) geometric mean titer ratio and seroconversion rate met the non-inferiority criteria, successfully achieving the primary immunogenicity endpoints of the study. PTX-COVID19-B demonstrated similar safety and tolerability profile to BNT162b2 vaccine. The lowest NAb response was observed in subjects with low-to-undetectable NAb at baseline or no reported breakthrough infection. Conversely, participants who experienced breakthrough infections during the study exhibited higher NAb titers. This study also shows induction of cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses by PTX-COVID19-B. In conclusion, the vaccine candidate PTX-COVID19-B demonstrated favourable safety profile along with immunogenicity similar to the active comparator BNT162b2 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Reiter
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., 120-8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Johann Greffrath
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Bian Zidel
- Malton Medical Center, 6870 Goreway Dr., Mississauga, ON, L4V 1P1, Canada
| | - Mario Ostrowski
- Department of Medicine, Immunology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, Rm 6271. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jennifer Gommerman
- Department of Immunology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 7233, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Shabir A Madhi
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Richard Tran
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., 120-8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Natalia Martin-Orozco
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., 120-8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | | | - Curtis Cooper
- The Ottawa Hospital Viral Hepatitis Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave. East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Aleksandra Pastrak
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., 120-8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada.
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Cruz Cisneros MC, Anderson EJ, Hampton BK, Parotti B, Sarkar S, Taft-Benz S, Bell TA, Blanchard M, Dillard JA, Dinnon KH, Hock P, Leist SR, Madden EA, Shaw GD, West A, Baric RS, Baxter VK, Pardo-Manuel de Villena F, Heise MT, Ferris MT. Host Genetic Variation Impacts SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Response in the Diversity Outbred Mouse Population. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:103. [PMID: 38276675 PMCID: PMC10821422 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010103] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the rapid and worldwide development of highly effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. However, there is significant individual-to-individual variation in vaccine efficacy due to factors including viral variants, host age, immune status, environmental and host genetic factors. Understanding those determinants driving this variation may inform the development of more broadly protective vaccine strategies. While host genetic factors are known to impact vaccine efficacy for respiratory pathogens such as influenza and tuberculosis, the impact of host genetic variation on vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 is not well understood. To model the impact of host genetic variation on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine efficacy, while controlling for the impact of non-genetic factors, we used the Diversity Outbred (DO) mouse model. We found that DO mice immunized against SARS-CoV-2 exhibited high levels of variation in vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody responses. While the majority of the vaccinated mice were protected from virus-induced disease, similar to human populations, we observed vaccine breakthrough in a subset of mice. Importantly, we found that this variation in neutralizing antibody, virus-induced disease, and viral titer is heritable, indicating that the DO serves as a useful model system for studying the contribution of genetic variation of both vaccines and disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta C. Cruz Cisneros
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.C.C.C.); (B.K.H.)
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Elizabeth J. Anderson
- Division of Comparative Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (E.J.A.); (V.K.B.)
| | - Brea K. Hampton
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.C.C.C.); (B.K.H.)
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Breantié Parotti
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Sanjay Sarkar
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Sharon Taft-Benz
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Timothy A. Bell
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Matthew Blanchard
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Jacob A. Dillard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.A.D.); (E.A.M.); (R.S.B.)
| | - Kenneth H. Dinnon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.A.D.); (E.A.M.); (R.S.B.)
| | - Pablo Hock
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Sarah R. Leist
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.R.L.)
| | - Emily A. Madden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.A.D.); (E.A.M.); (R.S.B.)
| | - Ginger D. Shaw
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
| | - Ande West
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.R.L.)
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.A.D.); (E.A.M.); (R.S.B.)
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.R.L.)
| | - Victoria K. Baxter
- Division of Comparative Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (E.J.A.); (V.K.B.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark T. Heise
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.A.D.); (E.A.M.); (R.S.B.)
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Martin T. Ferris
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.P.); (S.S.); (S.T.-B.); (T.A.B.); (M.B.); (P.H.); (G.D.S.); (F.P.-M.d.V.); (M.T.H.)
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Kingstad-Bakke B, Cleven T, Bussan H, Yount BL, Uraki R, Iwatsuki-Horimoto K, Koga M, Yamamoto S, Yotsuyanagi H, Park H, Mishra JS, Kumar S, Baric RS, Halfmann PJ, Kawaoka Y, Suresh M. Airway surveillance and lung viral control by memory T cells induced by COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172510. [PMID: 37796612 PMCID: PMC10721330 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172510] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although SARS-CoV-2 evolution seeds a continuous stream of antibody-evasive viral variants, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines provide robust protection against severe disease and hospitalization. Here, we asked whether mRNA vaccine-induced memory T cells limit lung SARS-CoV-2 replication and severe disease. We show that mice and humans receiving booster BioNTech mRNA vaccine developed potent CD8 T cell responses and showed similar kinetics of expansion and contraction of granzyme B/perforin-expressing effector CD8 T cells. Both monovalent and bivalent mRNA vaccines elicited strong expansion of a heterogeneous pool of terminal effectors and memory precursor effector CD8 T cells in spleen, inguinal and mediastinal lymph nodes, pulmonary vasculature, and most surprisingly in the airways, suggestive of systemic and regional surveillance. Furthermore, we document that: (a) CD8 T cell memory persists in multiple tissues for > 200 days; (b) following challenge with pathogenic SARS-CoV-2, circulating memory CD8 T cells rapidly extravasate to the lungs and promote expeditious viral clearance, by mechanisms that require CD4 T cell help; and (c) adoptively transferred splenic memory CD8 T cells traffic to the airways and promote lung SARS-CoV-2 clearance. These findings provide insights into the critical role of memory T cells in preventing severe lung disease following breakthrough infections with antibody-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brock Kingstad-Bakke
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Thomas Cleven
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hailey Bussan
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Boyd L. Yount
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ryuta Uraki
- Division of Virology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The Research Center for Global Viral Diseases, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Michiko Koga
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Applied Immunology, IMSUT Hospital of The Institute of Medical Science, and
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Division of Virology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Applied Immunology, IMSUT Hospital of The Institute of Medical Science, and
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hongtae Park
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jay S. Mishra
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sathish Kumar
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Peter J. Halfmann
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yoshihiro Kawaoka
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Division of Virology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The Research Center for Global Viral Diseases, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- The University of Tokyo, Pandemic Preparedness, Infection and Advanced Research Center (UTOPIA), Tokyo, Japan
| | - M. Suresh
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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4
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Takanashi A, Pouton CW, Al-Wassiti H. Delivery and Expression of mRNA in the Secondary Lymphoid Organs Drive Immune Responses to Lipid Nanoparticle-mRNA Vaccines after Intramuscular Injection. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:3876-3885. [PMID: 37491979 PMCID: PMC10411422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c01024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the prime delivery vehicle for mRNA vaccines. Previous hypotheses suggested that LNPs contribute to innate reactogenicity and lead to the establishment of a vaccine adaptive response. It has not been clear whether LNP adjuvancy in the muscle is the prime driver of adaptive immune responses or whether delivery to secondary lymphatic organs is necessary to induce strong adaptive responses. To address this, we formulated reporter gene (NLuc) or OVA mRNA into LNP or coadministered the mRNA with empty LNP. After IM injection, we correlated the delivery with adaptive immune responses. Additionally, we investigated humoral responses to modified mRNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Compared to unformulated mRNA encoding nanoluciferase, with or without co-administered empty LNPs, LNP-formulated mRNA resulted in high levels of nanoluciferase in the secondary lymphoid organs. Similarly, LNP-mRNA encoding ovalbumin led to a cellular immune response against OVA while free mRNA, with or without empty adjuvanted LNPs, caused little or no immune response. Finally, only mice injected with LNP-formulated mRNA encoding SARS-CoV-2 spike protein elicited robust cellular and humoral immune responses. Our results suggest that the mRNA delivery and transfection of secondary lymphatic organs, not LNP adjuvancy or RNA expression in muscle, are the main drivers for adaptive immune response in mice. This work informs the design of next-generation mRNA delivery systems where better delivery to secondary lymphatic organs should lead to a better vaccine response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asuka Takanashi
- Drug Delivery, Disposition
and Dynamics (D4), Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Colin W. Pouton
- Drug Delivery, Disposition
and Dynamics (D4), Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Hareth Al-Wassiti
- Drug Delivery, Disposition
and Dynamics (D4), Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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5
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Ren H, Jia W, Xie Y, Yu M, Chen Y. Adjuvant physiochemistry and advanced nanotechnology for vaccine development. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:5172-5254. [PMID: 37462107 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00848c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Vaccines comprising innovative adjuvants are rapidly reaching advanced translational stages, such as the authorized nanotechnology adjuvants in mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 worldwide, offering new strategies to effectively combat diseases threatening human health. Adjuvants are vital ingredients in vaccines, which can augment the degree, extensiveness, and longevity of antigen specific immune response. The advances in the modulation of physicochemical properties of nanoplatforms elevate the capability of adjuvants in initiating the innate immune system and adaptive immunity, offering immense potential for developing vaccines against hard-to-target infectious diseases and cancer. In this review, we provide an essential introduction of the basic principles of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination, key roles of adjuvants in augmenting and shaping immunity to achieve desired outcomes and effectiveness, and the physiochemical properties and action mechanisms of clinically approved adjuvants for humans. We particularly focus on the preclinical and clinical progress of highly immunogenic emerging nanotechnology adjuvants formulated in vaccines for cancer treatment or infectious disease prevention. We deliberate on how the immune system can sense and respond to the physicochemical cues (e.g., chirality, deformability, solubility, topology, and chemical structures) of nanotechnology adjuvants incorporated in the vaccines. Finally, we propose possible strategies to accelerate the clinical implementation of nanotechnology adjuvanted vaccines, such as in-depth elucidation of nano-immuno interactions, antigen identification and optimization by the deployment of high-dimensional multiomics analysis approaches, encouraging close collaborations among scientists from different scientific disciplines and aggressive exploration of novel nanotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongze Ren
- Materdicine Lab, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
| | - Wencong Jia
- Materdicine Lab, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
| | - Yujie Xie
- Materdicine Lab, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
| | - Meihua Yu
- Materdicine Lab, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
| | - Yu Chen
- Materdicine Lab, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
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Liu Y, Fei Y, Wang X, Yang B, Li M, Luo Z. Biomaterial-enabled therapeutic modulation of cGAS-STING signaling for enhancing antitumor immunity. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1938-1959. [PMID: 37002605 PMCID: PMC10362396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
cGAS-STING signaling is a central component in the therapeutic action of most existing cancer therapies. The accumulated knowledge of tumor immunoregulatory network in recent years has spurred the development of cGAS-STING agonists for tumor treatment as an effective immunotherapeutic strategy. However, the clinical translation of these agonists is thus far unsatisfactory because of the low immunostimulatory efficacy and unrestricted side effects under clinically relevant conditions. Interestingly, the rational integration of biomaterial technology offers a promising approach to overcome these limitations for more effective and safer cGAS-STING-mediated tumor therapy. Herein, we first outline the cGAS-STING signaling axis and generally discuss its association with tumors. We then symmetrically summarize the recent progress in those biomaterial-based cGAS-STING agonism strategies to generate robust antitumor immunity, categorized by the chemical nature of those cGAS-STING stimulants and carrier substrates. Finally, a perspective is provided to discuss the existing challenges and potential opportunities in cGAS-STING modulation for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Liu
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yang Fei
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Xuan Wang
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Bingbing Yang
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Menghuan Li
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China.
| | - Zhong Luo
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China.
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Martin-Orozco N, Vale N, Mihic A, Amor T, Reiter L, Arita Y, Samson R, Hu Q, Gingras AC, Sorenson BT, Marcusson EG, Patel P. Phase I randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled study of a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine PTX-COVID19-B. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8557. [PMID: 37236995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35662-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Access to vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus was limited in poor countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a low-cost mRNA vaccine, PTX-COVID19-B, was produced and evaluated in a Phase 1 trial. PTX-COVID19-B encodes Spike protein D614G variant without the proline-proline (986-987) mutation present in other COVID-19 vaccines. The aim of the study was to evaluate safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of PTX-COVID19-B vaccine in healthy seronegative adults 18-64 years old. The trial design was observer-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, and tested ascending doses of 16-µg, 40-µg, or 100-µg in a total of 60 subjects who received two intramuscular doses, 4 weeks apart. Participants were monitored for solicited and unsolicited adverse events after vaccination and were provided with a Diary Card and thermometer to report any reactogenicity during the trial. Blood samples were collected on baseline, days 8, 28, 42, 90, and 180 for serum analysis of total IgG anti-receptor binding domain (RBD)/Spike titers by ELISA, and neutralizing antibody titers by pseudovirus assay. Titers in BAU/mL were reported as geometric mean and 95% CI per cohort. After vaccination, few solicited adverse events were observed and were mild to moderate and self-resolved within 48 h. The most common solicited local and systemic adverse event was pain at the injection site, and headache, respectively. Seroconversion was observed in all vaccinated participants, who showed high antibody titers against RBD, Spike, and neutralizing activity against the Wuhan strain. Neutralizing antibody titers were also detected against Alpha, Beta, and Delta variants of concerns in a dose dependent manner. All tested doses of PTX-COVID19-B were safe, well-tolerated, and provided a strong immunogenicity response. The 40-µg dose showed fewer adverse reactions than the 100-µg dose, and therefore was selected for a Phase 2 trial, which is currently ongoing.Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT04765436 (21/02/2021). ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04765436 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Martin-Orozco
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada.
| | - Noah Vale
- Centricity Research, 2291 Kipling Avenue, Unit 117B, Toronto, ON, M9W 4L6, Canada
| | - Alan Mihic
- Centricity Research, 2291 Kipling Avenue, Unit 117B, Toronto, ON, M9W 4L6, Canada
| | - Talya Amor
- Centricity Research, 2291 Kipling Avenue, Unit 117B, Toronto, ON, M9W 4L6, Canada
| | - Lawrence Reiter
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Yuko Arita
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Reuben Samson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Cir, Rm 4396, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, 600 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Queenie Hu
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, 600 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Cir, Rm 4396, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, 600 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Bradley Thomas Sorenson
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Eric Gates Marcusson
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
| | - Piyush Patel
- Providence Therapeutics Holdings, 8832 Blackfoot Trail SE, Ste 120, Calgary, AB, T2J 3J1, Canada
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8
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Mendoza-Ramírez NJ, García-Cordero J, Martínez-Frías SP, Roa-Velázquez D, Luria-Pérez R, Bustos-Arriaga J, Hernández-Lopez J, Cabello-Gutiérrez C, Zúñiga-Ramos JA, Morales-Ríos E, Pérez-Tapia SM, Espinosa-Cantellano M, Cedillo-Barrón L. Combination of Recombinant Proteins S1/N and RBD/N as Potential Vaccine Candidates. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040864. [PMID: 37112776 PMCID: PMC10142685 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040864] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite all successful efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, the need to evaluate alternative antigens to produce next-generation vaccines is imperative to target emerging variants. Thus, the second generation of COVID-19 vaccines employ more than one antigen from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to induce an effective and lasting immune response. Here, we analyzed the combination of two SARS-CoV-2 viral antigens that could elicit a more durable immune response in both T- and B-cells. The nucleocapsid (N) protein, Spike protein S1 domain, and receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike surface glycoproteins were expressed and purified in a mammalian expression system, taking into consideration the posttranscriptional modifications and structural characteristics. The immunogenicity of these combined proteins was evaluated in a murine model. Immunization combining S1 or RBD with the N protein induced higher levels of IgG antibodies, increased the percentage of neutralization, and elevated the production of cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2 compared to the administration of a single antigen. Furthermore, sera from immunized mice recognized alpha and beta variants of SARS-CoV-2, which supports ongoing clinical results on partial protection in vaccinated populations, despite mutations. This study identifies potential antigens for second-generation COVID-19 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julio García-Cordero
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Cinvestav, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | | | - Daniela Roa-Velázquez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Cinvestav, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Rosendo Luria-Pérez
- Unidad de Investigación en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
| | - José Bustos-Arriaga
- Unidad de Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. De los Barrios # 1, Col. Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla 54090, Mexico
| | - Jesús Hernández-Lopez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A. C (CIAD) Carretera a la Victoria km 0.6, Hermosillo Sonora 83304, Mexico
| | - Carlos Cabello-Gutiérrez
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas (INER), Departamento de Investigación en Virología y Micología, Calzada de Tlalpan 4502, Belisario Domínguez, Tlalpan 14080, Mexico
| | - Joaquín Alejandro Zúñiga-Ramos
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas y Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
| | - Edgar Morales-Ríos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Cinvestav, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Sonia Mayra Pérez-Tapia
- Unidad de Desarrollo e Investigación en Bioterapéuticos (UDIBI), Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México City 11340, Mexico
| | - Martha Espinosa-Cantellano
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Cinvestav, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico
| | - Leticia Cedillo-Barrón
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Cinvestav, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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9
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Prakash A, Medved J, Arneja A, Niebuhr C, Li AN, Tarrah S, Boscia AR, Burnett ED, Singh A, Salazar JE, Xu W, Santhanakrishnan M, Hendrickson JE, Luckey CJ. Class switching is differentially regulated in RBC alloimmunization and vaccination. Transfusion 2023; 63:826-838. [PMID: 36907655 PMCID: PMC10851675 DOI: 10.1111/trf.17301] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of human patients have shown that most anti-RBC alloantibodies are IgG1 or IgG3 subclasses, although it is unclear why transfused RBCs preferentially drive these subclasses over others. Though mouse models allow for the mechanistic exploration of class-switching, previous studies of RBC alloimmunization in mice have focused more on the total IgG response than the relative distribution, abundance, or mechanism of IgG subclass generation. Given this major gap, we compared the IgG subclass distribution generated in response to transfused RBCs relative to protein in alum vaccination, and determined the role of STAT6 in their generation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS WT mice were either immunized with Alum/HEL-OVA or transfused with HOD RBCs and levels of anti-HEL IgG subtypes were measured using end-point dilution ELISAs. To study the role of STAT6 in IgG class-switching, we first generated and validated novel STAT6 KO mice using CRISPR/cas9 gene editing. STAT6 KO mice were then transfused with HOD RBCs or immunized with Alum/HEL-OVA, and IgG subclasses were quantified by ELISA. RESULTS When compared with antibody responses to Alum/HEL-OVA, transfusion of HOD RBCs induced lower levels of IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG2c but similar levels of IgG3. Class switching to most IgG subtypes remained largely unaffected in STAT6 deficient mice in response to HOD RBC transfusion, with the one exception being IgG2b. In contrast, STAT6 deficient mice showed altered levels of all IgG subtypes following Alum vaccination. DISCUSSION Our results show that anti-RBC class-switching occurs via alternate mechanisms when compared with the well-studied immunogen alum vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam Prakash
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jelena Medved
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Abhinav Arneja
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Conrad Niebuhr
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Andria N. Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Soraya Tarrah
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alexis R. Boscia
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Emily D. Burnett
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Aanika Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Juan E. Salazar
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Wenhao Xu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Manjula Santhanakrishnan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jeanne E. Hendrickson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chance John Luckey
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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10
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Horvath D, Temperton N, Mayora-Neto M, Da Costa K, Cantoni D, Horlacher R, Günther A, Brosig A, Morath J, Jakobs B, Groettrup M, Hoschuetzky H, Rohayem J, Ter Meulen J. Novel intranasal vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain to mucosal microfold cells and adjuvanted with TLR3 agonist Riboxxim™ elicits strong antibody and T-cell responses in mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4648. [PMID: 36944687 PMCID: PMC10029786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31198-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate in the human population necessitating regular booster immunization for its long-term control. Ideally, vaccines should ideally not only protect against symptomatic disease, but also prevent transmission via asymptomatic shedding and cover existing and future variants of the virus. This may ultimately only be possible through induction of potent and long-lasting immune responses in the nasopharyngeal tract, the initial entry site of SARS-CoV-2. To this end, we have designed a vaccine based on recombinantly expressed receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2, fused to the C-terminus of C. perfringens enterotoxin, which is known to target Claudin-4, a matrix molecule highly expressed on mucosal microfold (M) cells of the nasal and bronchial-associated lymphoid tissues. To further enhance immune responses, the vaccine was adjuvanted with a novel toll-like receptor 3/RIG-I agonist (Riboxxim™), consisting of synthetic short double stranded RNA. Intranasal prime-boost immunization of mice induced robust mucosal and systemic anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 strains Wuhan-Hu-1, and several variants (B.1.351/beta, B.1.1.7/alpha, B.1.617.2/delta), as well as systemic T-cell responses. A combination vaccine with M-cell targeted recombinant HA1 from an H1N1 G4 influenza strain also induced mucosal and systemic antibodies against influenza. Taken together, the data show that development of an intranasal SARS-CoV-2 vaccine based on recombinant RBD adjuvanted with a TLR3 agonist is feasible, also as a combination vaccine against influenza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Horvath
- Division of Immunology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nigel Temperton
- Viral Pseudotype Unit, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Martin Mayora-Neto
- Viral Pseudotype Unit, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Kelly Da Costa
- Viral Pseudotype Unit, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Diego Cantoni
- Viral Pseudotype Unit, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marcus Groettrup
- Division of Immunology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Jacques Rohayem
- Riboxx Pharmaceuticals, Radebeul, Dresden, Germany and Institute of Virology, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Ter Meulen
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
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11
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Wang Y, Wang B, Zhao Z, Xu J, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Chen Y, Song X, Zheng W, Hou L, Wu S, Chen W. Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 Spike Mutations on T-Cell Epitopes in Mice. Viruses 2023; 15:763. [PMID: 36992472 PMCID: PMC10056712 DOI: 10.3390/v15030763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell immunity plays an important role in the control of SARS-CoV-2 and has a great cross-protective effect on the variants. The Omicron BA.1 variant contains more than 30 mutations in the spike and severely evades humoral immunity. To understand how Omicron BA.1 spike mutations affect cellular immunity, the T-cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and Omicron BA.1 spike in BALB/c (H-2d) and C57BL/6 mice (H-2b) were mapped through IFNγ ELISpot and intracellular cytokine staining assays. The epitopes were identified and verified in splenocytes from mice vaccinated with the adenovirus type 5 vector encoding the homologous spike, and the positive peptides involved in spike mutations were tested against wide-type and Omicron BA.1 vaccines. A total of eleven T-cell epitopes of wild-type and Omicron BA.1 spike were identified in BALB/c mice, and nine were identified in C57BL/6 mice, only two of which were CD4+ T-cell epitopes and most of which were CD8+ T-cell epitopes. The A67V and Del 69-70 mutations in Omicron BA.1 spike abolished one epitope in wild-type spike, and the T478K, E484A, Q493R, G496S and H655Y mutations resulted in three new epitopes in Omicron BA.1 spike, while the Y505H mutation did not affect the epitope. These data describe the difference of T-cell epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and Omicron BA.1 spike in H-2b and H-2d mice, providing a better understanding of the effects of Omicron BA.1 spike mutations on cellular immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shipo Wu
- Correspondence: (S.W.); (W.C.); Tel.: +86-10-66948692 (S.W.)
| | - Wei Chen
- Correspondence: (S.W.); (W.C.); Tel.: +86-10-66948692 (S.W.)
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12
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Prakash A, Medved J, Arneja A, Niebuhr C, Li AN, Tarrah S, Boscia AR, Burnett ED, Singh A, Salazar JE, Xu W, Santhanakrishnan M, Hendrickson JE, Luckey CJ. Class switching is differentially regulated in RBC alloimmunization and vaccination. bioRxiv 2023:2023.01.11.523608. [PMID: 36712006 PMCID: PMC9882062 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Studies of human patients have shown that most anti-RBC alloantibodies are IgG1 or IgG3 subclasses, though it is unclear why transfused RBCs preferentially drive these subclasses over others. Though mouse models allow for the mechanistic exploration of class-switching, previous studies of RBC alloimmunization in mice have focused more on the total IgG response than the relative distribution, abundance, or mechanism of IgG subclass generation. Given this major gap, we compared the IgG subclass distribution generated in response to transfused RBCs relative to protein in alum vaccination, and determined the role of STAT6 in their generation. Study Design and Methods WT mice were either immunized with Alum/HEL-OVA or transfused with HOD RBCs and levels of anti-HEL IgG subtypes were measured using end-point dilution ELISAs. To study the role of STAT6 in IgG class-switching, we first generated and validated novel STAT6 KO mice using CRISPR/cas9 gene editing. STAT6 KO mice were then transfused with HOD RBCs or immunized with Alum/HEL-OVA, and IgG subclasses were quantified by ELISA. Results When compared to antibody responses to Alum/HEL-OVA, transfusion of HOD RBCs induced lower levels of IgG1, IgG2b and IgG2c but similar levels of IgG3. Class switching to most IgG subtypes remained largely unaffected in STAT6 deficient mice in response to HOD RBC transfusion, with the one exception being IgG2b. In contrast, STAT6 deficient mice showed altered levels of all IgG subtypes following Alum vaccination. Discussion Our results show that anti-RBC class-switching occurs via alternate mechanisms when compared to the well-studied immunogen alum vaccination.
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13
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Helmy SA, El-Morsi RM, Helmy SAM, El-Masry SM. Towards novel nano-based vaccine platforms for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern: Advances, challenges and limitations. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022; 76:103762. [PMID: 36097606 PMCID: PMC9452404 DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103762] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Vaccination is the most effective tool available for fighting the spread of COVID-19. Recently, emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 have led to growing concerns about increased transmissibility and decreased vaccine effectiveness. Currently, many vaccines are approved for emergency use and more are under development. This review highlights the ongoing advances in the design and development of different nano-based vaccine platforms. The challenges, limitations, and ethical consideration imposed by these nanocarriers are also discussed. Further, the effectiveness of the leading vaccine candidates against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern are highlighted. The review also focuses on the possibility of using an alternative non-invasive routes of vaccine administration using micro and nanotechnologies to enhance vaccination compliance and coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Helmy
- Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Taibah University, AL-Madinah AL-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Rasha M El-Morsi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Egypt
| | - Soha A M Helmy
- Department of Languages and Translation, College of Arts and Humanities, Taibah University, AL-Madinah AL-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Education, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Soha M El-Masry
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
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14
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Abe KT, Rathod B, Colwill K, Gingras AC, Tuite A, Robbins NF, Orjuela G, Jenkins C, Conrod V, Yi QL, O’Brien SF, Drews SJ. A Qualitative Comparison of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant Assay against Commonly Used Canadian SARS-CoV-2 Enzyme Immunoassays in Blood Donor Retention Specimens, April 2020 to March 2021. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0113422. [PMID: 35652636 PMCID: PMC9241784 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01134-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Our group has previously used laboratory and commercially developed assays to understand the IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 antigens, including nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and receptor binding domain (RBD), in Canadian blood donors. In this current study, we analyzed 17,428 available and previously characterized retention samples collected from April 2020 to March 2021. The analysis compared the characteristics of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay (Abbott anti-spike [S], Abbott, Chicago, IL) against four other IgG assays. The Abbott anti-S assay has a qualitative threshold of 50 AU/mL. The four comparator assays were the Abbott anti-nucleocapsid (N) assay and three commonly used Canadian in-house IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) recognizing distinct recombinant viral antigens, full-length spike glycoprotein, glycoprotein RBD, and nucleocapsid. The strongest qualitative relationship was between Sinai RBD and the Abbott anti-S assay (kappa, 0.707; standard error [SE] of kappa, 0.018; 95% confidence interval, 0.671 to 0.743). We then scored each previously characterized specimen as positive when two anti-SARS-COV-2 assays identified anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the specimen. Using this composite reference standard approach, the sensitivity of the Abbott anti-S assay was 95.96% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.27 to 97.63%). The specificity of the Abbott anti-S assay was 99.35% (95% CI, 99.21 to 99.46%). Our study provides context on the use of commonly used SARS-CoV-2 serologies in Canada and identifies how these assays qualitatively compare to newer commercial assays. Our next steps are to assess how well the Abbott anti-S assays quantitatively detect wild-type and SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. IMPORTANCE We describe the qualitative test characteristics of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay against four other anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays commonly used in Canada. Although there is no gold standard for identifying anti-SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, aggregate standards can be used to assess seropositivity. In this study, we used a specimen bank of previously well-characterized specimens collected between April 2020 and March 2021. The Abbott anti-S assay showed the strongest qualitative relationship with a widely used laboratory-developed IgG assay for the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain. Using the composite reference standard approach, we also showed that the Abbott anti-S assay was highly sensitive and specific. As new anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays are developed, it is important to compare their test characteristics against other assays that have been extensively used in prior research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kento T. Abe
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bhavisha Rathod
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen Colwill
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Treadwell Therapeutics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashleigh Tuite
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Craig Jenkins
- COVID-19 Serological Screening Laboratory, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Valerie Conrod
- COVID-19 Serological Screening Laboratory, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Qi-Long Yi
- Epidemiology and Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sheila F. O’Brien
- Epidemiology and Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven J. Drews
- Canadian Blood Services, Microbiology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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15
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Abstract
Since the first successful application of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) as a vaccine agent in a preclinical study nearly 30 years ago, numerous advances have been made in the field of mRNA therapeutic technologies. This research uncovered the unique favorable characteristics of mRNA vaccines, including their ability to give rise to non-toxic, potent immune responses and the potential to design and upscale them rapidly, making them excellent vaccine candidates during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Indeed, the first two vaccines against COVID-19 to receive accelerated regulatory authorization were nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines, which showed more than 90% protective efficacy against symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection alongside tolerable safety profiles in the pivotal phase III clinical trials. Real-world evidence following the deployment of global vaccination campaigns utilizing mRNA vaccines has bolstered clinical trial evidence and further illustrated that this technology can be used safely and effectively to combat COVID-19. This unprecedented success also emphasized the broader potential of this new drug class, not only for other infectious diseases, but also for other indications, such as cancer and inherited diseases. This review presents a brief history and the current status of development of four mRNA vaccine platforms, nucleoside-modified and unmodified mRNA, circular RNA, and self-amplifying RNA, as well as an overview of the recent progress and status of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. We also discuss the current and anticipated challenges of these technologies, which may be important for future research endeavors and clinical applications.
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16
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Shi J, Huang MW, Lu ZD, Du XJ, Shen S, Xu CF, Wang J. Delivery of mRNA for regulating functions of immune cells. J Control Release 2022; 345:494-511. [PMID: 35337940 PMCID: PMC8942439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal immune cell functions are commonly related to various diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapy can regulate the functions of immune cells or assign new functions to immune cells, thereby generating therapeutic immune responses to treat these diseases. However, mRNA is unstable in physiological environments and can hardly enter the cytoplasm of target cells; thus, effective mRNA delivery systems are critical for developing mRNA therapy. The two mRNA vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have demonstrated that lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) can deliver mRNA into dendritic cells (DCs) to induce immunization against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which opened the floodgates to the development of mRNA therapy. Apart from DCs, other immune cells are promising targets for mRNA therapy. This review summarized the barriers to mRNA delivery and advances in mRNA delivery for regulating the functions of different immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Shi
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China
| | - Meng-Wen Huang
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China
| | - Zi-Dong Lu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Xiao-Jiao Du
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Song Shen
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China; Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, PR China; Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Cong-Fei Xu
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China; Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province, and Innovation Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China; National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
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17
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Abusalah MAH, Khalifa M, Al-Hatamleh MAI, Jarrar M, Mohamud R, Chan YY. Nucleic Acid-Based COVID-19 Therapy Targeting Cytokine Storms: Strategies to Quell the Storm. J Pers Med 2022; 12:386. [PMID: 35330388 PMCID: PMC8948998 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shaken the world and triggered drastic changes in our lifestyle to control it. Despite the non-typical efforts, COVID-19 still thrives and plagues humanity worldwide. The unparalleled degree of infection has been met with an exceptional degree of research to counteract it. Many drugs and therapeutic technologies have been repurposed and discovered, but no groundbreaking antiviral agent has been introduced yet to eradicate COVID-19 and restore normalcy. As lethality is directly correlated with the severity of disease, hospitalized severe cases are of the greatest importance to reduce, especially the cytokine storm phenomenon. This severe inflammatory phenomenon characterized by elevated levels of inflammatory mediators can be targeted to relieve symptoms and save the infected patients. One of the promising therapeutic strategies to combat COVID-19 is nucleic acid-based therapeutic approaches, including microRNAs (miRNAs). This work is an up-to-date review aimed to comprehensively discuss the current nucleic acid-based therapeutics against COVID-19 and their mechanisms of action, taking into consideration the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, as well as providing potential future directions. miRNAs can be used to run interference with the expression of viral proteins, while endogenous miRNAs can be targeted as well, offering a versatile platform to control SARS-CoV-2 infection. By targeting these miRNAs, the COVID-19-induced cytokine storm can be suppressed. Therefore, nucleic acid-based therapeutics (miRNAs included) have a latent ability to break the COVID-19 infection in general and quell the cytokine storm in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Abdel Haleem Abusalah
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Moad Khalifa
- School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Mohammad A. I. Al-Hatamleh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia; (M.A.I.A.-H.); (R.M.)
| | - Mu’taman Jarrar
- College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia;
- Medical Education Department, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 34445, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rohimah Mohamud
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia; (M.A.I.A.-H.); (R.M.)
| | - Yean Yean Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
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