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Kar M, Johnson KEE, Vanderheiden A, Elrod EJ, Floyd K, Geerling E, Stone ET, Salinas E, Banakis S, Wang W, Sathish S, Shrihari S, Davis-Gardner ME, Kohlmeier J, Pinto A, Klein R, Grakoui A, Ghedin E, Suthar MS. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are required to prevent SARS-CoV-2 persistence in the nasal compartment. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.23.576505. [PMID: 38410446 PMCID: PMC10896337 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576505] [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: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 and continues to pose a significant public health threat throughout the world. Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are rapidly generated to form effector and memory cells and persist in the blood for several months. However, the contribution of T cells in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection within the respiratory tract are not well understood. Using C57BL/6 mice infected with a naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.351), we evaluated the role of T cells in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Following infection, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are recruited to the respiratory tract and a vast proportion secrete the cytotoxic molecule Granzyme B. Using antibodies to deplete T cells prior to infection, we found that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play distinct roles in the upper and lower respiratory tract. In the lungs, T cells play a minimal role in viral control with viral clearance occurring in the absence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells through 28 days post-infection. In the nasal compartment, depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but not individually, results in persistent and culturable virus replicating in the nasal compartment through 28 days post-infection. Using in situ hybridization, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection persisted in the nasal epithelial layer of tandem CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-depleted mice. Sequence analysis of virus isolates from persistently infected mice revealed mutations spanning across the genome, including a deletion in ORF6. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of T cells in controlling virus replication within the respiratory tract during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Eickhoff CS, Meza KA, Terry FE, Colbert CG, Blazevic A, Gutiérrez AH, Stone ET, Brien JD, Pinto AK, El Sahly HM, Mulligan MJ, Rouphael N, Alcaide ML, Tomashek KM, Focht C, Martin WD, Moise L, De Groot AS, Hoft DF. Identification of immunodominant T cell epitopes induced by natural Zika virus infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1247876. [PMID: 37705976 PMCID: PMC10497216 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1247876] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus primarily transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes, first discovered in Africa in 1947, that disseminated through Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands in the 2000s. The first ZIKV infections in the Americas were identified in 2014, and infections exploded through populations in Brazil and other countries in 2015/16. ZIKV infection during pregnancy can cause severe brain and eye defects in offspring, and infection in adults has been associated with higher risks of Guillain-Barré syndrome. We initiated a study to describe the natural history of Zika (the disease) and the immune response to infection, for which some results have been reported. In this paper, we identify ZIKV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes that induce responses during infection. Two screening approaches were utilized: an untargeted approach with overlapping peptide arrays spanning the entire viral genome, and a targeted approach utilizing peptides predicted to bind human MHC molecules. Immunoinformatic tools were used to identify conserved MHC class I supertype binders and promiscuous class II binding peptide clusters predicted to bind 9 common class II alleles. T cell responses were evaluated in overnight IFN-γ ELISPOT assays. We found that MHC supertype binding predictions outperformed the bulk overlapping peptide approach. Diverse CD4+ T cell responses were observed in most ZIKV-infected participants, while responses to CD8+ T cell epitopes were more limited. Most individuals developed a robust T cell response against epitopes restricted to a single MHC class I supertype and only a single or few CD8+ T cell epitopes overall, suggesting a strong immunodominance phenomenon. Noteworthy is that many epitopes were commonly immunodominant across persons expressing the same class I supertype. Nearly all of the identified epitopes are unique to ZIKV and are not present in Dengue viruses. Collectively, we identified 31 immunogenic peptides restricted by the 6 major class I supertypes and 27 promiscuous class II epitopes. These sequences are highly relevant for design of T cell-targeted ZIKV vaccines and monitoring T cell responses to Zika virus infection and vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S. Eickhoff
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Krystal A. Meza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | | | - Chase G. Colbert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Azra Blazevic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | | | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Hana M. El Sahly
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mark J. Mulligan
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nadine Rouphael
- Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Maria L. Alcaide
- University of Miami, Division of Infectious Diseases, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Kay M. Tomashek
- Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Chris Focht
- The Emmes Company, LLC., Rockville, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Anne S. De Groot
- EpiVax, Inc., Providence, RI, United States
- University of Georgia Center for Vaccines and Immunology, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Daniel F. Hoft
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy, and Immunology, Saint Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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3
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Dickson A, Geerling E, Stone ET, Hassert M, Steffen TL, Makkena T, Smither M, Schwetye KE, Zhang J, Georges B, Roberts MS, Suschak JJ, Pinto AK, Brien JD. The role of vaccination route with an adenovirus-vectored vaccine in protection, viral control, and transmission in the SARS-CoV-2/K18-hACE2 mouse infection model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1188392. [PMID: 37662899 PMCID: PMC10469340 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188392] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Vaccination is the most effective mechanism to prevent severe COVID-19. However, breakthrough infections and subsequent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remain a significant problem. Intranasal vaccination has the potential to be more effective in preventing disease and limiting transmission between individuals as it induces potent responses at mucosal sites. Methods Utilizing a replication-deficient adenovirus serotype 5-vectored vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 RBD (AdCOVID) in homozygous and heterozygous transgenic K18-hACE2, we investigated the impact of the route of administration on vaccine immunogenicity, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and survival. Results Mice vaccinated with AdCOVID via the intramuscular or intranasal route and subsequently challenged with SARS-CoV-2 showed that animals vaccinated intranasally had improved cellular and mucosal antibody responses. Additionally, intranasally vaccinated animals had significantly better viremic control, and protection from lethal infection compared to intramuscularly vaccinated animals. Notably, in a novel transmission model, intranasal vaccination reduced viral transmission to naïve co-housed mice compared to intramuscular vaccination. Discussion Our data provide convincing evidence for the use of intranasal vaccination in protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria Dickson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Tara L. Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Taneesh Makkena
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Madeleine Smither
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Katherine E. Schwetye
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
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Stone ET, Pinto AK. T Cells in Tick-Borne Flavivirus Encephalitis: A Review of Current Paradigms in Protection and Disease Pathology. Viruses 2023; 15:958. [PMID: 37112938 PMCID: PMC10146733 DOI: 10.3390/v15040958] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The family Flaviviridae is comprised of a diverse group of arthropod-borne viruses that are the etiological agents of globally relevant diseases in humans. Among these, infection with several of these flaviviruses-including West Nile virus (WNV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and Powassan virus (POWV)-can result in neuroinvasive disease presenting as meningitis or encephalitis. Factors contributing to the development and resolution of tick-borne flavivirus (TBEV, POWV) infection and neuropathology remain unclear, though many recently undertaken studies have described the virus-host interactions underlying encephalitic disease. With access to neural tissues despite the selectively permeable blood-brain barrier, T cells have emerged as one notable contributor to neuroinflammation. The goal of this review is to summarize the recent advances in tick-borne flavivirus immunology-particularly with respect to T cells-as it pertains to the development of encephalitis. We found that although T cell responses are rarely evaluated in a clinical setting, they are integral in conjunction with antibody responses to restricting the entry of TBFV into the CNS. The extent and means by which they can drive immune pathology, however, merits further study. Understanding the role of the T cell compartment in tick-borne flavivirus encephalitis is instrumental for improving vaccine safety and efficacy, and has implications for treatments and interventions for human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
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5
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Geerling E, Murphy V, Mai MC, Stone ET, Casals AG, Hassert M, O’Dea AT, Cao F, Donlin MJ, Elagawany M, Elgendy B, Pardali V, Giannakopoulou E, Zoidis G, Schiavone DV, Berkowitz AJ, Agyemang NB, Murelli RP, Tavis JE, Pinto AK, Brien JD. Metal coordinating inhibitors of Rift Valley fever virus replication. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274266. [PMID: 36112605 PMCID: PMC9481026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a veterinary and human pathogen and is an agent of bioterrorism concern. Currently, RVFV treatment is limited to supportive care, so new drugs to control RVFV infection are urgently needed. RVFV is a member of the order Bunyavirales, whose replication depends on the enzymatic activity of the viral L protein. Screening for RVFV inhibitors among compounds with divalent cation-coordinating motifs similar to known viral nuclease inhibitors identified 47 novel RVFV inhibitors with selective indexes from 1.1–103 and 50% effective concentrations of 1.2–56 μM in Vero cells, primarily α-Hydroxytropolones and N-Hydroxypyridinediones. Inhibitor activity and selective index was validated in the human cell line A549. To evaluate specificity, select compounds were tested against a second Bunyavirus, La Crosse Virus (LACV), and the flavivirus Zika (ZIKV). These data indicate that the α-Hydroxytropolone and N-Hydroxypyridinedione chemotypes should be investigated in the future to determine their mechanism(s) of action allowing further development as therapeutics for RVFV and LACV, and these chemotypes should be evaluated for activity against related pathogens, including Hantaan virus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Valerie Murphy
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Maria C. Mai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Andreu Gazquez Casals
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Austin T. O’Dea
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Feng Cao
- John Cochran Division, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Maureen J. Donlin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Mohamed Elagawany
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Bahaa Elgendy
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Vasiliki Pardali
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Erofili Giannakopoulou
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Daniel V. Schiavone
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Alex J. Berkowitz
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Nana B. Agyemang
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Ryan P. Murelli
- Department of Chemistry and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - John E. Tavis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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6
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Stone ET, Hirsch AJ, Smith JL, Brien JD, Pinto AK. Titration and neutralizing antibody quantification by focus forming assay for Powassan virus. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101473. [PMID: 35755126 PMCID: PMC9218233 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101473] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of high-throughput assays measuring Powassan virus (POWV) lineage I and II represents an important step in virological and immunological studies. By adapting focus-forming assays previously optimized for West Nile virus and Zika virus, this protocol is able to determine viral load, evaluate antivirals, and measure neutralizing antibodies. Although limited by its requirement of a detection antibody, this protocol includes a rapid and high-throughput assay for measuring viral titer. By utilizing a baby hamster kidney cell line and a 96-well plate format, this protocol allows for more sensitivity in the detection of POWV lineage I. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Stone et al. (2022). Powassan virus focus forming assay for evaluation of antivirals Antibody focus reduction neutralization assay (FRNT) for Powassan virus Steps describing Powassan virus lineage I and II titration
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
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Stone ET, Hassert M, Geerling E, Wagner C, Brien J, Ebel G, Hirsch A, German C, Smith J, Pinto AK. Requirement for robust T and B cell responses for immune protection against Powassan virus (POWV) in virus-like particle (VLP) vaccination. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.126.43] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne pathogen for which humans are an incidental host. POWV infection can be fatal or result in long-term neurological sequelae; however, there are no approved vaccinations for POWV. Integral to efficacious vaccine development is the identification of correlates of immune protection, which we accomplished in this study by utilizing a murine model of POWV infection. Using POWV lethal and sub-lethal challenge models, we show that 1) robust B and T cell responses are necessary for immune protection, 2) POWV lethality can be attributed to both viral- and host-mediated drivers of disease and 3) knowledge of the immune correlates of protection against POWV can be applied in a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccination approach that provides protection from lethal POWV challenge. We also provide evidence that POWV-experienced CD8+ T cells may potentiate immune-mediated pathogenesis during infection. Identification of beneficial and detrimental aspects of POWV-immune protection is significant as it will aid in the rational design of POWV vaccines.
This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): 5R01AI152192-02, 5R01AI137424-03 and F31AI152460-01. This research was also supported in part by the Department of Defense (Award#: PR192269). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
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8
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Karger AB, Brien JD, Christen JM, Dhakal S, Kemp TJ, Klein SL, Pinto LA, Premkumar L, Roback JD, Binder RA, Boehme KW, Boppana S, Cordon-Cardo C, Crawford JM, Daiss JL, Dupuis AP, Espino AM, Firpo-Betancourt A, Forconi C, Forrest JC, Girardin RC, Granger DA, Granger SW, Haddad NS, Heaney CD, Hunt DT, Kennedy JL, King CL, Krammer F, Kruczynski K, LaBaer J, Lee FEH, Lee WT, Liu SL, Lozanski G, Lucas T, Mendu DR, Moormann AM, Murugan V, Okoye NC, Pantoja P, Payne AF, Park J, Pinninti S, Pinto AK, Pisanic N, Qiu J, Sariol CA, Simon V, Song L, Steffen TL, Stone ET, Styer LM, Suthar MS, Thomas SN, Thyagarajan B, Wajnberg A, Yates JL, Sobhani K. The Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) for COVID-19: Depth and Breadth of Serology Assays and Plans for Assay Harmonization. medRxiv 2022:2022.02.27.22271399. [PMID: 35262095 PMCID: PMC8902887 DOI: 10.1101/2022.02.27.22271399] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background In October 2020, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) was established to study the immune response to COVID-19, and "to develop, validate, improve, and implement serological testing and associated technologies." SeroNet is comprised of 25 participating research institutions partnering with the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) and the SeroNet Coordinating Center. Since its inception, SeroNet has supported collaborative development and sharing of COVID-19 serological assay procedures and has set forth plans for assay harmonization. Methods To facilitate collaboration and procedure sharing, a detailed survey was sent to collate comprehensive assay details and performance metrics on COVID-19 serological assays within SeroNet. In addition, FNLCR established a protocol to calibrate SeroNet serological assays to reference standards, such as the U.S. SARS-CoV-2 serology standard reference material and First WHO International Standard (IS) for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (20/136), to facilitate harmonization of assay reporting units and cross-comparison of study data. Results SeroNet institutions reported development of a total of 27 ELISA methods, 13 multiplex assays, 9 neutralization assays, and use of 12 different commercial serological methods. FNLCR developed a standardized protocol for SeroNet institutions to calibrate these diverse serological assays to reference standards. Conclusions SeroNet institutions have established a diverse array of COVID-19 serological assays to study the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 virus and vaccines. Calibration of SeroNet serological assays to harmonize results reporting will facilitate future pooled data analyses and study cross-comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy B. Karger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Jayne M. Christen
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Santosh Dhakal
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Troy J. Kemp
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Sabra L. Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ligia A. Pinto
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Lakshmanane Premkumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - John D. Roback
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Raquel A. Binder
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Karl W. Boehme
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Suresh Boppana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Carlos Cordon-Cardo
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - James M. Crawford
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York
| | | | - Alan P. Dupuis
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Ana M. Espino
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Catherine Forconi
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - J. Craig Forrest
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Roxie C. Girardin
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | | | | | - Natalie S. Haddad
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher D. Heaney
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Danielle T. Hunt
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Joshua L. Kennedy
- Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Christopher L. King
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Kate Kruczynski
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joshua LaBaer
- Virginia G Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona
| | - F. Eun-Hyung Lee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - William T. Lee
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, New York
| | - Shan-Lu Liu
- Center for Retrovirus Research, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Viruses and Emerging Pathogens Program, Infectious Disease Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Gerard Lozanski
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Todd Lucas
- Division of Public Health and Department of Epidemiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Damodara Rao Mendu
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Ann M. Moormann
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Vel Murugan
- Virginia G Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Nkemakonam C. Okoye
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York
| | - Petraleigh Pantoja
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Anne F. Payne
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Jin Park
- Virginia G Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Swetha Pinninti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Nora Pisanic
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ji Qiu
- Virginia G Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Carlos A. Sariol
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Viviana Simon
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Lusheng Song
- Virginia G Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Tara L. Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Linda M. Styer
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, New York
| | - Mehul S. Suthar
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stefani N. Thomas
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Ania Wajnberg
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer L. Yates
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, New York
| | - Kimia Sobhani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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9
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Stone ET, Hassert M, Geerling E, Wagner C, Brien JD, Ebel GD, Hirsch AJ, German C, Smith JL, Pinto AK. Balanced T and B cell responses are required for immune protection against Powassan virus in virus-like particle vaccination. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110388. [PMID: 35172138 PMCID: PMC8919300 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110388] [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: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne pathogen for which humans are an incidental host. POWV infection can be fatal or result in long-term neurological sequelae; however, there are no approved vaccinations for POWV. Integral to efficacious vaccine development is the identification of correlates of protection, which we accomplished in this study by utilizing a murine model of POWV infection. Using POWV lethal and sub-lethal challenge models, we show that (1) robust B and T cell responses are necessary for immune protection, (2) POWV lethality can be attributed to both viral- and host-mediated drivers of disease, and (3) knowledge of the immune correlates of protection against POWV can be applied in a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccination approach that provides protection from lethal POWV challenge. Identification of these immune protection factors is significant as it will aid in the rational design of POWV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Colleen Wagner
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Gregory D Ebel
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Alec J Hirsch
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Cody German
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Jessica L Smith
- The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
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10
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Sariol CA, Pantoja P, Serrano-Collazo C, Rosa-Arocho T, Armina-Rodríguez A, Cruz L, Stone ET, Arana T, Climent C, Latoni G, Atehortua D, Pabon-Carrero C, Pinto AK, Brien JD, Espino AM. Function Is More Reliable than Quantity to Follow Up the Humoral Response to the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2-Spike Protein after Natural Infection or COVID-19 Vaccination. Viruses 2021; 13:1972. [PMID: 34696403 PMCID: PMC8538099 DOI: 10.3390/v13101972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and emergence of variants of concern have highlighted the need for functional antibody assays to monitor the humoral response over time. Antibodies directed against the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 are an important component of the neutralizing antibody response. In this work, we report that in a subset of patients-despite a decline in total S-specific antibodies-neutralizing antibody titers remain at a similar level for an average of 98 days in longitudinal sampling of a cohort of 59 Hispanic/Latino patients exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Our data suggest that 100% of seroconverting patients make detectable neutralizing antibody responses which can be quantified by a surrogate viral neutralization test. Examination of sera from ten out of the 59 subjects which received mRNA-based vaccination revealed that both IgG titers and neutralizing activity of sera were higher after vaccination compared to a cohort of 21 SARS-CoV-2 naïve subjects. One dose was sufficient for the induction of a neutralizing antibody, but two doses were necessary to reach 100% surrogate virus neutralization in subjects irrespective of previous SARS-CoV-2 natural infection status. Like the pattern observed after natural infection, the total anti-S antibodies titers declined after the second vaccine dose; however, neutralizing activity remained relatively constant for more than 80 days after the first vaccine dose. Furthermore, our data indicates that-compared with mRNA vaccination-natural infection induces a more robust humoral immune response in unexposed subjects. This work is an important contribution to understanding the natural immune response to the novel coronavirus in a population severely impacted by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, by comparing the dynamics of the immune response after the natural infection vs. the vaccination, these findings suggest that functional neutralizing antibody tests are more relevant indicators than the presence or absence of binding antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A. Sariol
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (L.C.); (T.A.)
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
| | - Petraleigh Pantoja
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - Crisanta Serrano-Collazo
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - Tiffany Rosa-Arocho
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - Albersy Armina-Rodríguez
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - Lorna Cruz
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (L.C.); (T.A.)
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA; (E.T.S.); (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
| | - Teresa Arana
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (L.C.); (T.A.)
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (P.P.); (C.S.-C.); (T.R.-A.); (A.A.-R.)
| | - Consuelo Climent
- Blood Bank Medical Center, Medical Center, San Juan, PR 00936, USA;
| | - Gerardo Latoni
- Banco de Sangre de Servicios Mutuos, Guaynabo, PR 00968, USA;
| | - Dianne Atehortua
- Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, San Juan, PR 00927, USA; (D.A.); (C.P.-C.)
| | - Christina Pabon-Carrero
- Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, San Juan, PR 00927, USA; (D.A.); (C.P.-C.)
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA; (E.T.S.); (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA; (E.T.S.); (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
| | - Ana M. Espino
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA; (L.C.); (T.A.)
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11
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Geerling E, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Hassert M, Brien JD, Pinto AK. Obesity Enhances Disease Severity in Female Mice Following West Nile Virus Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:739025. [PMID: 34531877 PMCID: PMC8439568 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.739025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A rise in adiposity in the United States has resulted in more than 70% of adults being overweight or obese, and global obesity rates have tripled since 1975. Following the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, obesity was characterized as a risk factor that could predict severe infection outcomes to viral infection. Amidst the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, obesity has remained a significant risk factor for severe viral disease as obese patients have a higher likelihood for developing severe symptoms and requiring hospitalization. However, the mechanism by which obesity enhances viral disease is unknown. In this study, we utilized a diet-induced obesity mouse model of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, a flavivirus that cycles between birds and mosquitoes and incidentally infects both humans and mice. Likelihood for severe WNV disease is associated with risk factors such as diabetes that are comorbidities also linked to obesity. Utilizing this model, we showed that obesity-associated chronic inflammation increased viral disease severity as obese female mice displayed higher mortality rates and elevated viral titers in the central nervous system. In addition, our studies highlighted that obesity also dysregulates host acute adaptive immune responses, as obese female mice displayed significant dysfunction in neutralizing antibody function. These studies highlight that obesity-induced immunological dysfunction begins at early time points post infection and is sustained through memory phase, thus illuminating a potential for obesity to alter the differentiation landscape of adaptive immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Tara L Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
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12
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Pinto AK, Hassert M, Han X, Barker D, Carnelley T, Branche E, Steffen TL, Stone ET, Geerling E, Viramontes KM, Nykiforuk C, Toth D, Shresta S, Kodihalli S, Brien JD. The Ability of Zika virus Intravenous Immunoglobulin to Protect From or Enhance Zika Virus Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:717425. [PMID: 34552587 PMCID: PMC8450494 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.717425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The closely related flaviviruses, dengue and Zika, cause significant human disease throughout the world. While cross-reactive antibodies have been demonstrated to have the capacity to potentiate disease or mediate protection during flavivirus infection, the mechanisms responsible for this dichotomy are still poorly understood. To understand how the human polyclonal antibody response can protect against, and potentiate the disease in the context of dengue and Zika virus infection we used intravenous hyperimmunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations in a mouse model of the disease. Three IVIGs (ZIKV-IG, Control-Ig and Gamunex®) were evaluated for their ability to neutralize and/or enhance Zika, dengue 2 and 3 viruses in vitro. The balance between virus neutralization and enhancement provided by the in vitro neutralization data was used to predict the IVIG concentrations which could protect or enhance Zika, and dengue 2 disease in vivo. Using this approach, we were able to define the unique in vivo dynamics of complex polyclonal antibodies, allowing for both enhancement and protection from flavivirus infection. Our results provide a novel understanding of how polyclonal antibodies interact with viruses with implications for the use of polyclonal antibody therapeutics and the development and evaluation of the next generation flavivirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Xiaobing Han
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | | | - Emilie Branche
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Tara L. Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Karla M. Viramontes
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Derek Toth
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Sujan Shresta
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
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13
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Sariol CA, Pantoja P, Serrano-Collazo C, Rosa-Arocho T, Armina A, Cruz L, Stone ET, Arana T, Climent C, Latoni G, Atehortua D, Pabon-Carrero C, Pinto AK, Brien JD, Espino AM. Function is more reliable than quantity to follow up the humoral response to the Receptor Binding Domain of SARS- CoV-2 Spike protein after natural infection or COVID-19 vaccination. medRxiv 2021:2021.06.02.21257975. [PMID: 34100029 PMCID: PMC8183028 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.02.21257975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Both the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and emergence of variants of concern have highlighted the need for functional antibody assays to monitor the humoral response over time. Antibodies directed against the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 are an important component of the neutralizing antibody response. In this work, we report that in a subset of patients-despite a decline in total S-specific antibodies-neutralizing antibody titers remain at a similar level for an average of 98 days in longitudinal sampling of a cohort of 59 Hispanic/Latino patients exposed to SARS-CoV-2. We also report that serum neutralization capacity correlates with IgG titers, wherein IgG1 was the predominant isotype (62.71%), followed by IgG4 (15.25%), IgG3 (13.56%), and IgG2 (8.47%) at the earliest tested timepoint. IgA titers were detectable in just 28.81% of subjects, and only 62.71% of subjects had detectable IgM in the first sample despite confirmation of infection by a molecular diagnostic assay. Our data suggests that 100% of seroconverting patients make detectable neutralizing antibody responses which can be quantified by a surrogate viral neutralization test. Examination of sera from 10 out of the 59 subjects which had received an initial first dose of mRNA-based vaccination revealed that both IgG titers and neutralizing activity of sera were higher after vaccination compared to a cohort of 21 SARS-CoV-2 naïve subjects. One dose was sufficient for induction of neutralizing antibody, but two doses were necessary to reach 100% surrogate virus neutralization in subjects irrespective of previous SARS-CoV-2 natural infection status. Like the pattern seen after natural infection, after the second vaccine dose, the total anti-S antibodies titers declined, however, neutralizing activity remained relatively constant for more than 80 days after the first vaccine dose. The decline in anti-S antibody titer, however, was significantly less in pre-exposed individuals, highlighting the potential for natural infection to prime a more robust immune response to the vaccine. Furthermore, our data indicates that-compared with mRNA vaccination-natural infection induces a more robust humoral immune response in unexposed subjects. However, this difference was significant only when neutralizing antibody titers were compared among the two groups. No differences were observed between naturally infected and vaccinated individuals when total anti-S antibodies and IgG titers were measured. This work is an important contribution to understanding the natural immune response to the novel coronavirus in a population severely impacted by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, by comparing the dynamics of the immune response after the natural infection vs. the vaccination, these findings suggest that a functional neutralizing antibody tests are more relevant indicators than the presence or absence of binding antibodies. In this context, our results also support standardizing methods of assessing the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 when determining vaccine efficacy and describing the immune correlates of protection for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A. Sariol
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
- Department of Internal medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | | | - Crisanta Serrano-Collazo
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Tiffany Rosa-Arocho
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Albersy Armina
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Lorna Cruz
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Teresa Arana
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
- Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | | | - Gerardo Latoni
- Banco de Sangre de Servicios Mutuos, Guaynabo, PR, USA, Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, PR, USA
| | | | | | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ana M. Espino
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
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14
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Geerling E, Hassert M, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Pinto AK. Female obese mice have a higher mortality rate and altered immune responses following viral infection in comparison to wild type mice. The Journal of Immunology 2021. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.206.supp.103.25] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
A rise in adiposity in the United States has resulted in >70% of adults being overweight or obese. Globally, areas that have seen a rise in obesity also have an increase in viral pathogens, resulting in a double disease burden. Studies done using influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile and dengue viruses have shown that excessive adiposity alters immune responses to vaccination. Similarly, obese individuals have a greater risk for developing COVID-19 following SARS-CoV-2 infection and a higher mortality rate than non-obese individuals. However, limited studies have been done to identify mechanisms responsible for obesity-induced impaired immune function. Based on published studies and our preliminary data, we hypothesized that obesity-associated chronic inflammation alters the immune system, enhancing susceptibility to viral diseases and hindering vaccine efficacy. To study this, we are using West Nile virus and SARS-CoV-2 in murine models of obesity. By infecting regular chow-fed (wt) and high fat diet-induced obese (ob) mice, we compared virus-specific immune responses at varying time points post infection. Results from these studies indicate that female ob mice have a higher mortality rate, dysfunctional virus-specific T cell responses and lowered efficacy of neutralizing antibodies. However, ob males do not show these differences when compared to wt males. These results demonstrate that obesity can enhance disease severity following viral infection which may have long term consequences for the generation of protective immune responses to vaccination, and sex appears to play a role in this phenomenon. Our ongoing studies are focused on determining how sex and chronic inflammation alter immune responses to these viral pathogens.
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15
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Hassert M, Geerling E, Stone ET, Steffen TL, Dickson A, Feldman MS, Class J, Richner JM, Brien JD, Pinto AK. mRNA induced expression of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in mice for the study of the adaptive immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 32793909 DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.07.241877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic resulting in nearly 20 million infections across the globe, as of August 2020. Critical to the rapid evaluation of vaccines and antivirals is the development of tractable animal models of infection. The use of common laboratory strains of mice to this end is hindered by significant divergence of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is the receptor required for entry of SARS-CoV-2. In the current study, we designed and utilized an mRNA-based transfection system to induce expression of the hACE2 receptor in order to confer entry of SARS-CoV-2 in otherwise non-permissive cells. By employing this expression system in an in vivo setting, we were able to interrogate the adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in type 1 interferon receptor deficient mice. In doing so, we showed that the T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 is enhanced when hACE2 is expressed during infection. Moreover, we demonstrated that these responses are preserved in memory and are boosted upon secondary infection. Interestingly, we did not observe an enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses with hACE2 induction. Importantly, using this system, we functionally identified the CD4+ and CD8+ peptide epitopes targeted during SARS-CoV-2 infection in H2b restricted mice. Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in mice of this MHC haplotype primarily target peptides of the spike and membrane proteins, while the antigen-specific CD4+ T cells target peptides of the nucleocapsid, membrane, and spike proteins. The functional identification of these T cell epitopes will be critical for evaluation of vaccine efficacy in murine models of SARS-CoV-2. The use of this tractable expression system has the potential to be used in other instances of emerging infections in which the rapid development of an animal model is hindered by a lack of host susceptibility factors.
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16
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Steffen T, Hassert M, Hoft SG, Stone ET, Zhang J, Geerling E, Grimberg BT, Roberts MS, Pinto AK, Brien JD. Immunogenicity and Efficacy of a Recombinant Human Adenovirus Type 5 Vaccine against Zika Virus. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020170. [PMID: 32272595 PMCID: PMC7349816 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a significant public health concern due to the pathogen's ability to be transmitted by either mosquito bite or sexual transmission, allowing spread to occur throughout the world. The potential consequences of ZIKV infection to human health, specifically neonates, necessitates the development of a safe and effective Zika virus vaccine. Here, we developed an intranasal Zika vaccine based upon the replication-deficient human adenovirus serotype 5 (hAd5) expressing ZIKV pre-membrane and envelope protein (hAd5-ZKV). The hAd5-ZKV vaccine is able to induce both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to ZIKV epitopes. Importantly, this vaccine generated CD8+ T cells specific for a dominant ZIKV T cell epitope and is shown to be protective against a ZIKV challenge by using a pre-clinical model of ZIKV disease. We also demonstrate that the vaccine expresses pre-membrane and envelope protein in a confirmation recognized by ZIKV experienced individuals. Our studies demonstrate that this adenovirus-based vaccine expressing ZIKV proteins is immunogenic and protective in mice, and it encodes ZIKV proteins in a conformation recognized by the human antibody repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Steffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Stella G. Hoft
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Altimmune, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA; (J.Z.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Brian T. Grimberg
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - M. Scot Roberts
- Altimmune, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA; (J.Z.); (M.S.R.)
| | - Amelia K. Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
- Correspondence: (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
| | - James D. Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA; (T.S.); (M.H.); (S.G.H.); (E.T.S.); (E.G.)
- Correspondence: (A.K.P.); (J.D.B.)
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Brien JD, Hassert M, Stone ET, Geerling E, Cruz-Orengo L, Pinto AK. Isolation and Quantification of Zika Virus from Multiple Organs in a Mouse. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31475971 DOI: 10.3791/59632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The methods being presented demonstrate laboratory procedures for the isolation of organs from Zika virus infected animals and the quantification of viral load. The purpose of the procedure is to quantify viral titers in peripheral and CNS areas of the mouse at different time points post infection or under different experimental conditions to identify virologic and immunological factors that regulate Zika virus infection. The organ isolation procedures demonstrated allow for both focus forming assay quantification and quantitative PCR assessment of viral titers. The rapid organ isolation techniques are designed for the preservation of virus titer. Viral titer quantification by focus forming assay allows for the rapid throughput assessment of Zika virus. The benefit of the focus forming assay is the assessment of infectious virus, the limitation of this assay is the potential for organ toxicity reducing the limit of detection. Viral titer assessment is combined with quantitative PCR, and using a recombinant RNA copy control viral genome copy number within the organ is assessed with low limit of detection. Overall these techniques provide an accurate rapid high throughput method for the analysis of Zika viral titers in the periphery and CNS of Zika virus infected animals and can be applied to the assessment of viral titers in the organs of animals infected with most pathogens, including Dengue virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Brien
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - Mariah Hassert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - E Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University
| | | | - Amelia K Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University;
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