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Miura K, Flores-Garcia Y, Long CA, Zavala F. Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies: new tools for malaria control. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024:e0007123. [PMID: 38656211 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00071-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYMalaria remains one of the biggest health problems in the world. While significant reductions in malaria morbidity and mortality had been achieved from 2000 to 2015, the favorable trend has stalled, rather significant increases in malaria cases are seen in multiple areas. In 2022, there were 249 million estimated cases, and 608,000 malaria-related deaths, mostly in infants and children aged under 5 years, globally. Therefore, in addition to the expansion of existing anti-malarial control measures, it is critical to develop new tools, such as vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), to fight malaria. In the last 2 years, the first and second malaria vaccines, both targeting Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite proteins (PfCSP), have been recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent P. falciparum malaria in children living in moderate to high transmission areas. While the approval of the two malaria vaccines is a considerable milestone in vaccine development, they have much room for improvement in efficacy and durability. In addition to the two approved vaccines, recent clinical trials with mAbs against PfCSP, blood-stage vaccines against P. falciparum or P. vivax, and transmission-blocking vaccine or mAb against P. falciparum have shown promising results. This review summarizes the development of the anti-PfCSP vaccines and mAbs, and recent topics in the blood- and transmission-blocking-stage vaccine candidates and mAbs. We further discuss issues of the current vaccines and the directions for the development of next-generation vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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2
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Franco A, Flores-Garcia Y, Venezia J, Daoud A, Scott AL, Zavala F, Sullivan DJ. Hemozoin-induced IFN-γ production mediates innate immune protection against sporozoite infection. Microbes Infect 2024:105343. [PMID: 38670216 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2024.105343] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Hemozoin is a crystal synthesized by Plasmodium parasites during hemoglobin digestion in the erythrocytic stage. The hemozoin released when the parasites egress from the red blood cell, which is complexed with parasite DNA, is cleared from the circulation by circulating and tissue-resident monocytes and macrophages, respectively. Recently, we reported that intravenous administration of purified hemozoin complexed with Plasmodium berghei DNA (HzPbDNA) resulted in an innate immune response that blocked liver stage development of sporozoites that was dose-dependent and time-limited. Here, we further characterize the organismal, cellular, and molecular events associated with this protective innate response in the liver and report that a large proportion of the IV administered HzPbDNA localized to F4/80+ cells in the liver and that the rapid and strong protection against liver-stage development waned quickly such that by 1 week post-HzPbDNA treatment animals were fully susceptible to infection. RNAseq of the liver after IV administration of HzPbDNA demonstrated that the rapid and robust induction of genes associated with the acute phase response, innate immune activation, cellular recruitment, and IFN-γ signaling observed at day 1 was largely absent at day 7. RNAseq analysis implicated NK cells as the major cellular source of IFN-γ. In vivo cell depletion and IFN-γ neutralization experiments supported the hypothesis that tissue-resident macrophages and NK cells are major contributors to the protective response and the NK cell-derived IFN-γ is key to induction of the mechanisms that block sporozoite development in the liver. These findings advance our understanding of the innate immune responses that prevent liver stage malaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Franco
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jarrett Venezia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Abdel Daoud
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Alan L Scott
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - David J Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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3
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Locke E, Flores-Garcia Y, Mayer BT, MacGill RS, Borate B, Salgado-Jimenez B, Gerber MW, Mathis-Torres S, Shapiro S, King CR, Zavala F. Establishing RTS,S/AS01 as a benchmark for comparison to next-generation malaria vaccines in a mouse model. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:29. [PMID: 38341502 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00819-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
New strategies are needed to reduce the incidence of malaria, and promising approaches include vaccines targeting the circumsporozoite protein (CSP). To improve upon the malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, it is essential to standardize preclinical assays to measure the potency of next-generation vaccines against this benchmark. We focus on RTS,S/AS01-induced antibody responses and functional activity in conjunction with robust statistical analyses. Transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoites containing full-length P. falciparum CSP (tgPb-PfCSP) allow two assessments of efficacy: quantitative reduction in liver infection following intravenous challenge, and sterile protection from mosquito bite challenge. Two or three doses of RTS,S/AS01 were given intramuscularly at 3-week intervals, with challenge 2-weeks after the last vaccination. Minimal inter- and intra-assay variability indicates the reproducibility of the methods. Importantly, the range of this model is suitable for screening more potent vaccines. Levels of induced anti-CSP antibody 2A10 equivalency were also associated with activity: 105 μg/mL (95% CI: 68.8, 141) reduced liver infection by 50%, whereas 285 μg/mL (95% CI: 166, 404) is required for 50% sterile protection from mosquito bite challenge. Additionally, the liver burden model was able to differentiate between protected and non-protected human plasma samples from a controlled human malaria infection study, supporting these models' relevance and predictive capability. Comparison in animal models of CSP-based vaccine candidates to RTS,S/AS01 is now possible under well controlled conditions. Assessment of the quality of induced antibodies, likely a determinant of durability of protection in humans, should be possible using these methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Locke
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bryan T Mayer
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Randall S MacGill
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Bhavesh Borate
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Berenice Salgado-Jimenez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Monica W Gerber
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Shapiro
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - C Richter King
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Williams KL, Guerrero S, Flores-Garcia Y, Kim D, Williamson KS, Siska C, Smidt P, Jepson SZ, Li K, Dennison SM, Mathis-Torres S, Chen X, Wille-Reece U, MacGill RS, Walker M, Jongert E, King CR, Ockenhouse C, Glanville J, Moon JE, Regules JA, Tan YC, Cavet G, Lippow SM, Robinson WH, Dutta S, Tomaras GD, Zavala F, Ketchem RR, Emerling DE. A candidate antibody drug for prevention of malaria. Nat Med 2024; 30:117-129. [PMID: 38167935 PMCID: PMC10803262 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02659-z] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Over 75% of malaria-attributable deaths occur in children under the age of 5 years. However, the first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for pediatric use, RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix), has modest efficacy. Complementary strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, will be important in efforts to eradicate malaria. Here we characterize the circulating B cell repertoires of 45 RTS,S/AS01 vaccinees and discover monoclonal antibodies for development as potential therapeutics. We generated >28,000 antibody sequences and tested 481 antibodies for binding activity and 125 antibodies for antimalaria activity in vivo. Through these analyses we identified correlations suggesting that sequences in Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein, the target antigen in RTS,S/AS01, may induce immunodominant antibody responses that limit more protective, but subdominant, responses. Using binding studies, mouse malaria models, biomanufacturing assessments and protein stability assays, we selected AB-000224 and AB-007088 for advancement as a clinical lead and backup. We engineered the variable domains (Fv) of both antibodies to enable low-cost manufacturing at scale for distribution to pediatric populations, in alignment with WHO's preferred product guidelines. The engineered clone with the optimal manufacturing and drug property profile, MAM01, was advanced into clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dongkyoon Kim
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Initium Therapeutics, Inc., Natick, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kan Li
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S Moses Dennison
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- BioNTech US, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
- PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington DC, USA
| | | | | | | | - C Richter King
- PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington DC, USA
| | | | | | - James E Moon
- Center for Enabling Capabilities, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jason A Regules
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Yann Chong Tan
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Nuevocor Pte. Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guy Cavet
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Paramune, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
| | | | - William H Robinson
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Departments of Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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5
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Thai E, Murugan R, Binter Š, Burn Aschner C, Prieto K, Kassardjian A, Obraztsova AS, Kang RW, Flores-Garcia Y, Mathis-Torres S, Li K, Horn GQ, Huntwork RHC, Bolscher JM, de Bruijni MHC, Sauerwein R, Dennison SM, Tomaras GD, Zavala F, Kellam P, Wardemann H, Julien JP. Molecular determinants of cross-reactivity and potency by VH3-33 antibodies against the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113330. [PMID: 38007690 PMCID: PMC10720262 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113330] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IGHV3-33-encoded antibodies are prevalent in the human humoral response against the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). Among VH3-33 antibodies, cross-reactivity between PfCSP major repeat (NANP), minor (NVDP), and junctional (NPDP) motifs is associated with high affinity and potent parasite inhibition. However, the molecular basis of antibody cross-reactivity and the relationship with efficacy remain unresolved. Here, we perform an extensive structure-function characterization of 12 VH3-33 anti-PfCSP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with varying degrees of cross-reactivity induced by immunization of mice expressing a human immunoglobulin gene repertoire. We identify residues in the antibody paratope that mediate cross-reactive binding and delineate four distinct epitope conformations induced by antibody binding, with one consistently associated with high protective efficacy and another that confers comparably potent inhibition of parasite liver invasion. Our data show a link between molecular features of cross-reactive VH3-33 mAb binding to PfCSP and mAb potency, relevant for the development of antibody-based interventions against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Thai
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rajagopal Murugan
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Špela Binter
- Kymab Ltd./Sanofi, The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; RQ Biotechnology Limited, 7th Floor Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9LT, UK
| | - Clare Burn Aschner
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Katherine Prieto
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Audrey Kassardjian
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anna S Obraztsova
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Biosciences Faculty, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ryu Won Kang
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kan Li
- Departments of Surgery, Integrative Immunobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Gillian Q Horn
- Departments of Surgery, Integrative Immunobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Richard H C Huntwork
- Departments of Surgery, Integrative Immunobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | | | | | - S Moses Dennison
- Departments of Surgery, Integrative Immunobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Departments of Surgery, Integrative Immunobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Paul Kellam
- Kymab Ltd./Sanofi, The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; RQ Biotechnology Limited, 7th Floor Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9LT, UK; Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK
| | - Hedda Wardemann
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Jean-Philippe Julien
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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6
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Hayashi CTH, Cao Y, Zavala F, Simonyan H, Young CN, Kumar N. Antibodies elicited by Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite proteins lacking sequentially deleted C-terminal amino acids reveal mouse strain and epitopes specific differences. Vaccine 2023; 41:S0264-410X(23)01179-9. [PMID: 37827967 PMCID: PMC11004087 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.10.009] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Malaria affects ∼ ¼ billion people globally and requires the development of additional tools to aid in elimination efforts. The recently approved RTS,S/AS01 vaccine represents a positive step, however, the moderate efficacy necessitates the development of more efficacious vaccines. PfCSP is a key target antigen for pre-erythrocytic vaccines aimed at preventing Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections. Epitopes within the central repeat region and at the junction of the repeat and N-terminal domain are well documented as major protective B cell epitopes. On the other hand, a majority of antibodies against the epitopes in the C-terminal domain, have been shown to be non-protective against sporozoite challenge. The C-terminal domain, however, contains CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes previously shown to be important for regulating immune responses. The present study was designed to further explore the immunomodulatory potential of the C-terminal domain using DNA vaccines encoding PfCSP with sequential C-terminal truncations following known T cell epitopes. Five DNA vaccines encoding different truncations of PfCSP within the C-terminal domain were administered via intramuscular route and in vivo electroporation for effective immunogenicity. Protection in mice was evaluated by challenge with transgenic P. berghei expressing PfCSP. In Balb/c mice, antibody responses and protective efficacy were both affected progressively with sequential deletion of C-terminal amino acid residues. Similar studies in C57Bl/6 mice revealed that immunizations with plasmids encoding truncated PfCSP showed partial protection from sporozoite challenge with no significant differences in antibody titers observed compared to full-length PfCSP DNA immunized mice. Further analysis revealed murine strain-specific differences in the recognition of specific epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford T H Hayashi
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21215, USA
| | - Hayk Simonyan
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Colin N Young
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA.
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7
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Hayashi CTH, Cao Y, Clark LC, Tripathi AK, Zavala F, Dwivedi G, Knox J, Alameh MG, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Weissman D, Kumar N. Author Correction: mRNA-LNP expressing PfCSP and Pfs25 vaccine candidates targeting infection and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:115. [PMID: 37567884 PMCID: PMC10421895 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00723-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clifford T H Hayashi
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Leor C Clark
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Abhai K Tripathi
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21215, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21215, USA
| | - Garima Dwivedi
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - James Knox
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | | | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
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8
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Martin GM, Torres JL, Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Flores-Garcia Y, Gibson G, Moskovitz R, Beutler N, Jung DD, Copps J, Lee WH, Gonzalez-Paez G, Emerling D, MacGill RS, Locke E, King CR, Zavala F, Wilson IA, Ward AB. Affinity-matured homotypic interactions induce spectrum of PfCSP structures that influence protection from malaria infection. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4546. [PMID: 37507365 PMCID: PMC10382551 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40151-x] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of high-quality antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), the primary surface antigen of Pf sporozoites, is paramount to the development of an effective malaria vaccine. Here we present an in-depth structural and functional analysis of a panel of potent antibodies encoded by the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) gene IGHV3-33, which is among the most prevalent and potent antibody families induced in the anti-PfCSP immune response and targets the Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro (NANP) repeat region. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) reveals a remarkable spectrum of helical antibody-PfCSP structures stabilized by homotypic interactions between tightly packed fragments antigen binding (Fabs), many of which correlate with somatic hypermutation. We demonstrate a key role of these mutated homotypic contacts for high avidity binding to PfCSP and in protection from Pf malaria infection. Together, these data emphasize the importance of anti-homotypic affinity maturation in the frequent selection of IGHV3-33 antibodies and highlight key features underlying the potent protection of this antibody family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Martin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan L Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3DR, UK
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Pfizer Inc, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Grace Gibson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Re'em Moskovitz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Nathan Beutler
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Diana D Jung
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jeffrey Copps
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Gonzalo Gonzalez-Paez
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - C Richter King
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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9
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Aguirre-Botero MC, Wang LT, Formaglio P, Aliprandini E, Thiberge JM, Schön A, Flores-Garcia Y, Mathis-Torres S, Flynn BJ, da Silva Pereira L, Le Duff Y, Hurley M, Nacer A, Bowyer PW, Zavala F, Idris AH, Francica JR, Seder RA, Amino R. Cytotoxicity of human antibodies targeting the circumsporozoite protein is amplified by 3D substrate and correlates with protection. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112681. [PMID: 37389992 PMCID: PMC10468621 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112681] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) on the sporozoite surface are a promising tool for preventing malaria infection. However, their mechanisms of protection remain unclear. Here, using 13 distinctive PfCSP hmAbs, we provide a comprehensive view of how PfCSP hmAbs neutralize sporozoites in host tissues. Sporozoites are most vulnerable to hmAb-mediated neutralization in the skin. However, rare but potent hmAbs additionally neutralize sporozoites in the blood and liver. Efficient protection in tissues mainly associates with high-affinity and high-cytotoxicity hmAbs inducing rapid parasite loss-of-fitness in the absence of complement and host cells in vitro. A 3D-substrate assay greatly enhances hmAb cytotoxicity and mimics the skin-dependent protection, indicating that the physical stress imposed on motile sporozoites by the skin is crucial for unfolding the protective potential of hmAbs. This functional 3D cytotoxicity assay can thus be useful for downselecting potent anti-PfCSP hmAbs and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela C Aguirre-Botero
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity, BioSPC, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Lawrence T Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Pauline Formaglio
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity, BioSPC, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Eduardo Aliprandini
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity, BioSPC, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Michel Thiberge
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity, BioSPC, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Arne Schön
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Barbara J Flynn
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lais da Silva Pereira
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yann Le Duff
- Centre for Aids Reagents, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Mathew Hurley
- Centre for Aids Reagents, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Adéla Nacer
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Paul W Bowyer
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Azza H Idris
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph R Francica
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert A Seder
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity, BioSPC, F-75015, Paris, France.
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10
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Hayashi CTH, Cao Y, Clark LC, Tripathi AK, Zavala F, Dwivedi G, Knox J, Alameh MG, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Weissman D, Kumar N. mRNA-LNP expressing PfCSP and Pfs25 vaccine candidates targeting infection and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:155. [PMID: 36456563 PMCID: PMC9715627 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00577-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a deadly disease responsible for between 550,000 and 627,000 deaths annually. There is a pressing need to develop vaccines focused on malaria elimination. The complex lifecycle of Plasmodium falciparum provides opportunities not only to target the infectious sporozoite stage, introduced by anopheline mosquitoes, but also the sexual stages, which are ingested by mosquitoes during blood feeding, leading to parasite transmission. It is widely recognized that a vaccine targeting multiple stages would induce efficacious transmission reducing immunity. Technological advancements offer new vaccine platforms, such as mRNA-LNPs, which can be used to develop highly effective malarial vaccines. We evaluated the immunogenicity of two leading P. falciparum vaccine candidates, Pfs25 and PfCSP, delivered as mRNA-LNP vaccines. Both vaccines induced extremely potent immune responses when administered alone or in combination, which were superior to Pfs25 and PfCSP DNA vaccine formulations. Purified IgGs from Pfs25 mRNA-LNPs immunized mice were highly potent in reducing malaria transmission to mosquitoes. Additionally, mice after three and four immunizations with PfCSP mRNA-LNP provided evidence for varying degrees of protection against sporozoite challenge. The comparison of immune responses and stage-specific functional activity induced by each mRNA-LNP vaccine, administered alone or in combination, also supports the development of an effective combination vaccine without any risk of immune interference for targeting malaria parasites at various life cycle stages. A combination of vaccines targeting both the infective stage and sexual/midgut stages is expected to interrupt malaria transmission, which is critical for achieving elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford T H Hayashi
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Leor C Clark
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Abhai K Tripathi
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21215, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21215, USA
| | - Garima Dwivedi
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - James Knox
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | | | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
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11
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Kucharska I, Binter Š, Murugan R, Scally SW, Ludwig J, Prieto K, Thai E, Costa G, Li K, Horn GQ, Flores-Garcia Y, Bosch A, Sicard T, Rubinstein JL, Zavala F, Dennison SM, Tomaras GD, Levashina EA, Kellam P, Wardemann H, Julien JP. High-density binding to Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein repeats by inhibitory antibody elicited in mouse with human immunoglobulin repertoire. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010999. [PMID: 36441829 PMCID: PMC9762590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies targeting the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) can prevent infection and disease. PfCSP contains multiple central repeating NANP motifs; some of the most potent anti-infective antibodies against malaria bind to these repeats. Multiple antibodies can bind the repeating epitopes concurrently by engaging into homotypic Fab-Fab interactions, which results in the ordering of the otherwise largely disordered central repeat into a spiral. Here, we characterize IGHV3-33/IGKV1-5-encoded monoclonal antibody (mAb) 850 elicited by immunization of transgenic mice with human immunoglobulin loci. mAb 850 binds repeating NANP motifs with picomolar affinity, potently inhibits Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) in vitro and, when passively administered in a mouse challenge model, reduces liver burden to a similar extent as some of the most potent anti-PfCSP mAbs yet described. Like other IGHV3-33/IGKV1-5-encoded anti-NANP antibodies, mAb 850 primarily utilizes its HCDR3 and germline-encoded aromatic residues to recognize its core NANP motif. Biophysical and cryo-electron microscopy analyses reveal that up to 19 copies of Fab 850 can bind the PfCSP repeat simultaneously, and extensive homotypic interactions are observed between densely-packed PfCSP-bound Fabs to indirectly improve affinity to the antigen. Together, our study expands on the molecular understanding of repeat-induced homotypic interactions in the B cell response against PfCSP for potently protective mAbs against Pf infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iga Kucharska
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Špela Binter
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930) Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rajagopal Murugan
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Institute (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephen W. Scally
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Julia Ludwig
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Institute (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katherine Prieto
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elaine Thai
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Giulia Costa
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kan Li
- Department of Surgery, Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Gillian Q. Horn
- Department of Surgery, Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alexandre Bosch
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Taylor Sicard
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John L. Rubinstein
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - S. Moses Dennison
- Department of Surgery, Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Georgia D. Tomaras
- Department of Surgery, Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elena A. Levashina
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Kellam
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930) Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hedda Wardemann
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Institute (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jean-Philippe Julien
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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12
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Tursi NJ, Reeder SM, Flores-Garcia Y, Bah MA, Mathis-Torres S, Salgado-Jimenez B, Esquivel R, Xu Z, Chu JD, Humeau L, Patel A, Zavala F, Weiner DB. Engineered DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies targeting Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein confer single dose protection in a murine malaria challenge model. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14313. [PMID: 35995959 PMCID: PMC9395511 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18375-6] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel approaches for malaria prophylaxis remain important. Synthetic DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) are a promising approach to generate rapid, direct in vivo host-generated mAbs with potential benefits in production simplicity and distribution coupled with genetic engineering. Here, we explore this approach in a malaria challenge model. We engineered germline-reverted DMAbs based on human mAb clones CIS43, 317, and L9 which target a junctional epitope, major repeat, and minor repeat of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) respectively. DMAb variants were encoded into a plasmid vector backbone and their expression and binding profiles were characterized. We demonstrate long-term serological expression of DMAb constructs resulting in in vivo efficacy of CIS43 GL and 317 GL in a rigorous mosquito bite mouse challenge model. Additionally, we engineered an Fc modified variant of CIS43 and L9-based DMAbs to ablate binding to C1q to test the impact of complement-dependent Fc function on challenge outcomes. Complement knockout variant DMAbs demonstrated similar protection to that of WT Fc DMAbs supporting the notion that direct binding to the parasite is sufficient for the protection observed. Further investigation of DMAbs for malaria prophylaxis appears of importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Tursi
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sophia M Reeder
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mamadou A Bah
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Berenice Salgado-Jimenez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rianne Esquivel
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ziyang Xu
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jacqueline D Chu
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Laurent Humeau
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, PA, 19462, USA
| | - Ami Patel
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - David B Weiner
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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13
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Cao Y, Hayashi CTH, Zavala F, Tripathi AK, Simonyan H, Young CN, Clark LC, Usuda Y, Van Parys JM, Kumar N. Effective Functional Immunogenicity of a DNA Vaccine Combination Delivered via In Vivo Electroporation Targeting Malaria Infection and Transmission. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1134. [PMID: 35891298 PMCID: PMC9323668 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071134] [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: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) and Pfs25 are leading candidates for the development of pre-erythrocytic and transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV), respectively. Although considerable progress has been made in developing PfCSP- and Pfs25-based vaccines, neither have elicited complete protection or transmission blocking in clinical trials. The combination of antigens targeting various life stages is an alternative strategy to develop a more efficacious malaria vaccine. In this study, female and male mice were immunized with DNA plasmids encoding PfCSP and Pfs25, administered alone or in combination via intramuscular in vivo electroporation (EP). Antigen-specific antibodies were analyzed for antibody titers, avidity and isotype by ELISA. Immune protection against sporozoite challenge, using transgenic P. berghei expressing PfCSP and a GFP-luciferase fusion protein (PbPfCSP-GFP/Luc), was assessed by in vivo bioluminescence imaging and blood-stage parasite growth. Transmission reducing activity (TRA) was evaluated in standard membrane feeding assays (SMFA). High levels of PfCSP- and Pfs25-specific antibodies were induced in mice immunized with either DNA vaccine alone or in combination. No difference in antibody titer and avidity was observed for both PfCSP and Pfs25 between the single DNA and combined DNA immunization groups. When challenged by PbPfCSP-GFP/Luc sporozoites, mice immunized with PfCSP alone or combined with Pfs25 revealed significantly reduced liver-stage parasite loads as compared to mice immunized with Pfs25, used as a control. Furthermore, parasite liver loads were negatively correlated with PfCSP-specific antibody levels. When evaluating TRA, we found that immunization with Pfs25 alone or in combination with PfCSP elicited comparable significant transmission reduction. Our studies reveal that the combination of PfCSP and Pfs25 DNAs into a vaccine delivered by in vivo EP in mice does not compromise immunogenicity, infection protection and transmission reduction when compared to each DNA vaccine individually, and provide support for further evaluation of this DNA combination vaccine approach in larger animals and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Cao
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
| | - Clifford T. H. Hayashi
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (F.Z.); (A.K.T.)
| | - Abhai K. Tripathi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (F.Z.); (A.K.T.)
| | - Hayk Simonyan
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (H.S.); (C.N.Y.)
| | - Colin N. Young
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (H.S.); (C.N.Y.)
| | - Leor C. Clark
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
| | - Yukari Usuda
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
| | - Jacob M. Van Parys
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (Y.C.); (C.T.H.H.); (L.C.C.); (Y.U.); (J.M.V.P.)
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14
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Jelínková L, Flores-Garcia Y, Shapiro S, Roberts BT, Petrovsky N, Zavala F, Chackerian B. A vaccine targeting the L9 epitope of the malaria circumsporozoite protein confers protection from blood-stage infection in a mouse challenge model. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:34. [PMID: 35260593 PMCID: PMC8904524 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00457-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines that induce high-titer, durable antibody responses can potentially provide protection from infection. Here, we engineered a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine targeting a recently described vulnerable epitope at the N-terminus of the central repeat region of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein that is recognized by the potently inhibitory monoclonal antibody L9 and show that immunization with L9 VLPs induces strong antibody responses that provide protection from blood-stage malaria in a mouse infection model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Jelínková
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Shapiro
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bryce T Roberts
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nikolai Petrovsky
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale, Adelaide, 5046, Australia.,College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5042, Australia
| | - Fidel Zavala
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bryce Chackerian
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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15
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Beutler N, Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Flores-Garcia Y, MacGill RS, Garcia E, Calla J, Parren M, Yang L, Volkmuth W, Locke E, Regules JA, Dutta S, Emerling D, Early AM, Neafsey DE, Winzeler EA, King CR, Zavala F, Burton DR, Wilson IA, Rogers TF. A novel CSP C-terminal epitope targeted by an antibody with protective activity against Plasmodium falciparum. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010409. [PMID: 35344575 PMCID: PMC8989322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Potent and durable vaccine responses will be required for control of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). RTS,S/AS01 is the first, and to date, the only vaccine that has demonstrated significant reduction of clinical and severe malaria in endemic cohorts in Phase 3 trials. Although the vaccine is protective, efficacy declines over time with kinetics paralleling the decline in antibody responses to the Pf circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). Although most attention has focused on antibodies to repeat motifs on PfCSP, antibodies to other regions may play a role in protection. Here, we expressed and characterized seven monoclonal antibodies to the C-terminal domain of CSP (ctCSP) from volunteers immunized with RTS,S/AS01. Competition and crystal structure studies indicated that the antibodies target two different sites on opposite faces of ctCSP. One site contains a polymorphic region (denoted α-ctCSP) and has been previously characterized, whereas the second is a previously undescribed site on the conserved β-sheet face of the ctCSP (denoted β-ctCSP). Antibodies to the β-ctCSP site exhibited broad reactivity with a diverse panel of ctCSP peptides whose sequences were derived from field isolates of P. falciparum whereas antibodies to the α-ctCSP site showed very limited cross reactivity. Importantly, an antibody to the β-site demonstrated inhibition activity against malaria infection in a murine model. This study identifies a previously unidentified conserved epitope on CSP that could be targeted by prophylactic antibodies and exploited in structure-based vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Beutler
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Randall S. MacGill
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Elijah Garcia
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jaeson Calla
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Mara Parren
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Linlin Yang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Wayne Volkmuth
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Regules
- Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel Emerling
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Angela M. Early
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel E. Neafsey
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - C. Richter King
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dennis R. Burton
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas F. Rogers
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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16
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Wang LT, Hurlburt NK, Schön A, Flynn BJ, Flores-Garcia Y, Pereira LS, Kiyuka PK, Dillon M, Bonilla B, Zavala F, Idris AH, Francica JR, Pancera M, Seder RA. The light chain of the L9 antibody is critical for binding circumsporozoite protein minor repeats and preventing malaria. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110367. [PMID: 35172158 PMCID: PMC8896312 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
L9 is a potent human monoclonal antibody (mAb) that preferentially binds two adjacent NVDP minor repeats and cross-reacts with NANP major repeats of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) on malaria-infective sporozoites. Understanding this mAb's ontogeny and mechanisms of binding PfCSP will facilitate vaccine development. Here, we isolate mAbs clonally related to L9 and show that this B cell lineage has baseline NVDP affinity and evolves to acquire NANP reactivity. Pairing the L9 kappa light chain (L9κ) with clonally related heavy chains results in chimeric mAbs that cross-link two NVDPs, cross-react with NANP, and more potently neutralize sporozoites in vivo compared with their original light chain. Structural analyses reveal that the chimeric mAbs bound minor repeats in a type-1 β-turn seen in other repeat-specific antibodies. These data highlight the importance of L9κ in binding NVDP on PfCSP to neutralize sporozoites and suggest that PfCSP-based immunogens might be improved by presenting ≥2 NVDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence T Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicholas K Hurlburt
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Arne Schön
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Barbara J Flynn
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lais S Pereira
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Patience K Kiyuka
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Marlon Dillon
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Brian Bonilla
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Azza H Idris
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joseph R Francica
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Marie Pancera
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Robert A Seder
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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17
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18
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Flores-Garcia Y, Wang LT, Park M, Asady B, Idris AH, Kisalu NK, Muñoz C, Pereira LS, Francica JR, Seder RA, Zavala F. The P. falciparum CSP repeat region contains three distinct epitopes required for protection by antibodies in vivo. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010042. [PMID: 34748617 PMCID: PMC8601602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare and potent monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (CSP) on infective sporozoites (SPZ) preferentially bind the PfCSP junctional tetrapeptide NPDP or NVDP minor repeats while cross-reacting with NANP central repeats in vitro. The extent to which each of these epitopes is required for protection in vivo is unknown. Here, we assessed whether junction-, minor repeat- and central repeat-preferring human mAbs (CIS43, L9 and 317 respectively) bound and protected against in vivo challenge with transgenic P. berghei (Pb) SPZ expressing either PfCSP with the junction and minor repeats knocked out (KO), or PbCSP with the junction and minor repeats knocked in (KI). In vivo protection studies showed that the junction and minor repeats are necessary and sufficient for CIS43 and L9 to neutralize KO and KI SPZ, respectively. In contrast, 317 required major repeats for in vivo protection. These data establish that human mAbs can prevent malaria infection by targeting three different protective epitopes (NPDP, NVDP, NANP) in the PfCSP repeat region. This report will inform vaccine development and the use of mAbs to passively prevent malaria. Human monoclonal antibodies are a promising approach for preventing malaria. Highly potent human antibodies show preferential binding to the junction or minor repeat regions of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of P. falciparum and cross-react to repetitive (NANP) repeats. The requirement for these binding sites for mediating protection in vivo remains unknown. Here, using transgenic P. berghei parasites expressing PfCSP containing deletions of these junctional or minor epitopes, or PbCSP containing additions of these PfCSP epitopes, we demonstrate these epitopes are necessary and sufficient to mediate protection and don’t require cross-reactivity to the NANP repeats. Our findings establish a mechanism of antibody mediated protection in vivo to prevent malaria and provide the rationale for multi-epitope vaccines to increase the breadth of the antibody responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lawrence T. Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Minah Park
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Beejan Asady
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Azza H. Idris
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Neville K. Kisalu
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christian Muñoz
- Medical Technology Department, Faculty of Health Science, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Lais S. Pereira
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph R. Francica
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Seder
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Reeder SM, Bah MA, Tursi NJ, Brooks RC, Patel A, Esquivel R, Eaton A, Jhun H, Chu J, Kim K, Xu Z, Zavala F, Weiner DB. Strategic Variants of CSP Delivered as SynDNA Vaccines Demonstrate Heterogeneity of Immunogenicity and Protection from Plasmodium Infection in a Murine Model. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0072820. [PMID: 34152830 PMCID: PMC8445182 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00728-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria infects millions of people every year, and despite recent advances in controlling disease spread, such as vaccination, it remains a global health concern. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) has long been acknowledged as a key target in antimalarial immunity. Leveraging the DNA vaccine platform against this formidable pathogen, the following five synthetic DNA vaccines encoding variations of CSP were designed and studied: 3D7, GPI1, ΔGPI, TM, and DD2. Among the single CSP antigen constructs, a range of immunogenicity was observed with ΔGPI generating the most robust immunity. In an intravenous (i.v.) sporozoite challenge, the best protection among vaccinated mice was achieved by ΔGPI, which performed almost as well as the monoclonal antibody 311 (MAb 311) antibody control. Further analyses revealed that ΔGPI develops high-molecular-weight multimers in addition to monomeric CSP. We then compared the immunity generated by ΔGPI versus synDNA mimics for the antimalaria vaccines RTS,S and R21. The anti-CSP antibody responses induced were similar among these three immunogens. T cell responses demonstrated that ΔGPI induced a more focused anti-CSP response. In an infectious mosquito challenge, all three of these constructs generated inhibition of liver-stage infection as well as immunity from blood-stage parasitemia. This study demonstrates that synDNA mimics of complex malaria immunogens can provide substantial protection as can a novel synDNA vaccine ΔGPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M. Reeder
- The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mamadou A. Bah
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Tursi
- The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebekah C. Brooks
- The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ami Patel
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rianne Esquivel
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alison Eaton
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hugo Jhun
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacqueline Chu
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Kim
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ziyang Xu
- The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David B. Weiner
- The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Vaccine Center, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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20
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Di Pilato M, Kfuri-Rubens R, Pruessmann JN, Ozga AJ, Messemaker M, Cadilha BL, Sivakumar R, Cianciaruso C, Warner RD, Marangoni F, Carrizosa E, Lesch S, Billingsley J, Perez-Ramos D, Zavala F, Rheinbay E, Luster AD, Gerner MY, Kobold S, Pittet MJ, Mempel TR. CXCR6 positions cytotoxic T cells to receive critical survival signals in the tumor microenvironment. Cell 2021; 184:4512-4530.e22. [PMID: 34343496 PMCID: PMC8719451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [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: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against tumors are maintained by stem-like memory cells that self-renew but also give rise to effector-like cells. The latter gradually lose their anti-tumor activity and acquire an epigenetically fixed, hypofunctional state, leading to tumor tolerance. Here, we show that the conversion of stem-like into effector-like CTLs involves a major chemotactic reprogramming that includes the upregulation of chemokine receptor CXCR6. This receptor positions effector-like CTLs in a discrete perivascular niche of the tumor stroma that is densely occupied by CCR7+ dendritic cells (DCs) expressing the CXCR6 ligand CXCL16. CCR7+ DCs also express and trans-present the survival cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15). CXCR6 expression and IL-15 trans-presentation are critical for the survival and local expansion of effector-like CTLs in the tumor microenvironment to maximize their anti-tumor activity before progressing to irreversible dysfunction. These observations reveal a cellular and molecular checkpoint that determines the magnitude and outcome of anti-tumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Di Pilato
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
| | - Raphael Kfuri-Rubens
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jasper N Pruessmann
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aleksandra J Ozga
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marius Messemaker
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bruno L Cadilha
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ramya Sivakumar
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Chiara Cianciaruso
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ross D Warner
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Francesco Marangoni
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Esteban Carrizosa
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stefanie Lesch
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - James Billingsley
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 21205, USA
| | - Daniel Perez-Ramos
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Esther Rheinbay
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Andrew D Luster
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Y Gerner
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Mikael J Pittet
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten R Mempel
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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21
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Suscovich TJ, Fallon JK, Das J, Demas AR, Crain J, Linde CH, Michell A, Natarajan H, Arevalo C, Broge T, Linnekin T, Kulkarni V, Lu R, Slein MD, Luedemann C, Marquette M, March S, Weiner J, Gregory S, Coccia M, Flores-Garcia Y, Zavala F, Ackerman ME, Bergmann-Leitner E, Hendriks J, Sadoff J, Dutta S, Bhatia SN, Lauffenburger DA, Jongert E, Wille-Reece U, Alter G. Mapping functional humoral correlates of protection against malaria challenge following RTS,S/AS01 vaccination. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/553/eabb4757. [PMID: 32718991 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb4757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vaccine development has the potential to be accelerated by coupling tools such as systems immunology analyses and controlled human infection models to define the protective efficacy of prospective immunogens without expensive and slow phase 2b/3 vaccine studies. Among human challenge models, controlled human malaria infection trials have long been used to evaluate candidate vaccines, and RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced malaria vaccine candidate, reproducibly demonstrating 40 to 80% protection in human challenge studies in malaria-naïve individuals. Although antibodies are critical for protection after RTS,S/AS01 vaccination, antibody concentrations are inconsistently associated with protection across studies, and the precise mechanism(s) by which vaccine-induced antibodies provide protection remains enigmatic. Using a comprehensive systems serological profiling platform, the humoral correlates of protection against malaria were identified and validated across multiple challenge studies. Rather than antibody concentration, qualitative functional humoral features robustly predicted protection from infection across vaccine regimens. Despite the functional diversity of vaccine-induced immune responses across additional RTS,S/AS01 vaccine studies, the same antibody features, antibody-mediated phagocytosis and engagement of Fc gamma receptor 3A (FCGR3A), were able to predict protection across two additional human challenge studies. Functional validation using monoclonal antibodies confirmed the protective role of Fc-mediated antibody functions in restricting parasite infection both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that these correlates may mechanistically contribute to parasite restriction and can be used to guide the rational design of an improved vaccine against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd J Suscovich
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Jishnu Das
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Allison R Demas
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonathan Crain
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Caitlyn H Linde
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ashlin Michell
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Harini Natarajan
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Claudia Arevalo
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas Broge
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas Linnekin
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Viraj Kulkarni
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Richard Lu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew D Slein
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Meghan Marquette
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sandra March
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joshua Weiner
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Scott Gregory
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | | | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Elke Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jenny Hendriks
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., 2333CN Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jerald Sadoff
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., 2333CN Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sangeeta N Bhatia
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas A Lauffenburger
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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22
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Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Flores-Garcia Y, Gonzalez-Paez G, Han Z, Williams KL, Volkmuth W, Emerling D, Locke E, Richter King C, Zavala F, Wilson IA. Structural and biophysical correlation of anti-NANP antibodies with in vivo protection against P. falciparum. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1063. [PMID: 33594061 PMCID: PMC7887213 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21221-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The most advanced P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein-based malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), confers partial protection but with antibody titers that wane relatively rapidly, highlighting the need to elicit more potent and durable antibody responses. Here, we elucidate crystal structures, binding affinities and kinetics, and in vivo protection of eight anti-NANP antibodies derived from an RTS,S phase 2a trial and encoded by three different heavy-chain germline genes. The structures reinforce the importance of homotypic Fab-Fab interactions in protective antibodies and the overwhelmingly dominant preference for a germline-encoded aromatic residue for recognition of the NANP motif. In this study, antibody apparent affinity correlates best with protection in an in vivo mouse model, with the more potent antibodies also recognizing epitopes with repeating secondary structural motifs of type I β- and Asn pseudo 310 turns; such insights can be incorporated into design of more effective immunogens and antibodies for passive immunization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Pfizer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gonzalo Gonzalez-Paez
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhen Han
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Wondfo USA Co., Ltd, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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23
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Kisalu NK, Pereira LD, Ernste K, Flores-Garcia Y, Idris AH, Asokan M, Dillon M, MacDonald S, Shi W, Chen X, Pegu A, Schön A, Zavala F, Balazs AB, Francica JR, Seder RA. Enhancing durability of CIS43 monoclonal antibody by Fc mutation or AAV delivery for malaria prevention. JCI Insight 2021; 6:143958. [PMID: 33332286 PMCID: PMC7934869 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.143958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
CIS43 is a potent neutralizing human mAb that targets a highly conserved "junctional" epitope in the Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). Enhancing the durability of CIS43 in vivo will be important for clinical translation. Here, 2 approaches were used to improve the durability of CIS43 in vivo while maintaining potent neutralization. First, the Fc domain was modified with the LS mutations (CIS43LS) to increase CIS43 binding affinity for the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). CIS43LS and CIS43 showed comparable in vivo protective efficacy. CIS43LS had 9- to 13-fold increased binding affinity for human (6.2 nM versus 54.2 nM) and rhesus (25.1 nM versus 325.8 nM) FcRn at endosomal pH 6.0 compared with CIS43. Importantly, the half-life of CIS43LS in rhesus macaques increased from 22 days to 39 days compared with CIS43. The second approach for sustaining antibody levels of CIS43 in vivo is through adeno-associated virus (AAV) expression. Mice administered once with AAV-expressing CIS43 had sustained antibody levels of approximately 300 μg/mL and mediated protection against sequential malaria challenges up to 36 weeks. Based on these data, CIS43LS has advanced to phase I clinical trials, and AAV delivery provides a potential next-generation approach for malaria prevention.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Substitution
- Animals
- Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic/biosynthesis
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/genetics
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacokinetics
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/genetics
- Antibodies, Protozoan/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
- Antibodies, Protozoan/genetics
- Dependovirus/genetics
- Female
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments/administration & dosage
- Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments/genetics
- Macaca mulatta
- Malaria, Falciparum/immunology
- Malaria, Falciparum/parasitology
- Malaria, Falciparum/prevention & control
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
- Plasmodium falciparum/immunology
- Protozoan Proteins/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Neville K. Kisalu
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lais D. Pereira
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Keenan Ernste
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Azza H. Idris
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mangaiarkarasi Asokan
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marlon Dillon
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Scott MacDonald
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wei Shi
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Xuejun Chen
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Amarendra Pegu
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Arne Schön
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alejandro B. Balazs
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph R. Francica
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert A. Seder
- Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Jelínková L, Jhun H, Eaton A, Petrovsky N, Zavala F, Chackerian B. An epitope-based malaria vaccine targeting the junctional region of circumsporozoite protein. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:13. [PMID: 33479242 PMCID: PMC7820318 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00274-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [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: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A malaria vaccine that elicits long-lasting protection and is suitable for use in endemic areas remains urgently needed. Here, we assessed the immunogenicity and prophylactic efficacy of a vaccine targeting a recently described epitope on the major surface antigen on Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, circumsporozoite protein (CSP). Using a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine platform technology, we developed a vaccine that targets the junctional region between the N-terminal and central repeat regions of CSP. This region is recognized by monoclonal antibodies, including mAb CIS43, that have been shown to potently prevent liver invasion in animal models. We show that CIS43 VLPs elicit high-titer and long-lived anti-CSP antibody responses in mice and is immunogenic in non-human primates. In mice, vaccine immunogenicity was enhanced by using mixed adjuvant formulations. Immunization with CIS43 VLPs conferred partial protection from malaria infection in a mouse model, and passive transfer of serum from immunized macaques also inhibited parasite liver invasion in the mouse infection model. Our findings demonstrate that a Qβ VLP-based vaccine targeting the CIS43 epitope combined with various adjuvants is highly immunogenic in mice and macaques, elicits long-lasting anti-CSP antibodies, and inhibits parasite infection in a mouse model. Thus, the CIS43 VLP vaccine is a promising pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Jelínková
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
| | - Hugo Jhun
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Allison Eaton
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Nikolai Petrovsky
- grid.451447.7Vaxine Pty Ltd, 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale, Adelaide, SA 5046 Australia ,grid.1014.40000 0004 0367 2697College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042 Australia
| | - Fidel Zavala
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Bryce Chackerian
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
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25
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Raghunandan R, Mayer BT, Flores-Garcia Y, Gerber MW, Gottardo R, Jhun H, Herrera SM, Perez-Ramos DW, Locke E, King CR, Zavala F. Characterization of two in vivo challenge models to measure functional activity of monoclonal antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. Malar J 2020; 19:113. [PMID: 32183833 PMCID: PMC7079517 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New strategies are needed to reduce the incidence of malaria, and promising approaches include the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the circumsporozoite protein (CSP). To select the best candidates and speed development, it is essential to standardize preclinical assays to measure the potency of such interventions in animal models. METHODS Two assay configurations were studied using transgenic Plasmodium berghei expressing Plasmodium falciparum full-length circumsporozoite protein. The assays measured (1) reduction in parasite infection of the liver (liver burden) following an intravenous (i.v) administration of sporozoites and (2) protection from parasitaemia following mosquito bite challenge. Two human CSP mAbs, AB311 and AB317, were compared for their ability to inhibit infection. Multiple independent experiments were conducted to define assay variability and resultant impact on the ability to discriminate differences in mAb functional activity. RESULTS Overall, the assays produced highly consistent results in that all individual experiments showed greater functional activity for AB317 compared to AB311 as calculated by the dose required for 50% inhibition (ID50) as well as the serum concentration required for 50% inhibition (IC50). The data were then used to model experimental designs with adequate statistical power to rigorously screen, compare, and rank order novel anti-CSP mAbs. CONCLUSION The results indicate that in vivo assays described here can provide reliable information for comparing the functional activity of mAbs. The results also provide guidance regarding selection of the appropriate experimental design, dose selection, and group sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rama Raghunandan
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA.
| | - Bryan T Mayer
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Monica W Gerber
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Hugo Jhun
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Sonia M Herrera
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel W Perez-Ramos
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - C Richter King
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA.
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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26
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Oyen D, Torres JL, Aoto PC, Flores-Garcia Y, Binter Š, Pholcharee T, Carroll S, Reponen S, Wash R, Liang Q, Lemiale F, Locke E, Bradley A, King CR, Emerling D, Kellam P, Zavala F, Ward AB, Wilson IA. Structure and mechanism of monoclonal antibody binding to the junctional epitope of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008373. [PMID: 32150583 PMCID: PMC7082059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lasting protection has long been a goal for malaria vaccines. The major surface antigen on Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, the circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), has been an attractive target for vaccine development and most protective antibodies studied to date interact with the central NANP repeat region of PfCSP. However, it remains unclear what structural and functional characteristics correlate with better protection by one antibody over another. Binding to the junctional region between the N-terminal domain and central NANP repeats has been proposed to result in superior protection: this region initiates with the only NPDP sequence followed immediately by NANP. Here, we isolated antibodies in Kymab mice immunized with full-length recombinant PfCSP and two protective antibodies were selected for further study with reactivity against the junctional region. X-ray and EM structures of two monoclonal antibodies, mAb667 and mAb668, shed light on their differential affinity and specificity for the junctional region. Importantly, these antibodies also bind to the NANP repeat region with equal or better affinity. A comparison with an NANP-only binding antibody (mAb317) revealed roughly similar but statistically distinct levels of protection against sporozoite challenge in mouse liver burden models, suggesting that junctional antibody protection might relate to the ability to also cross-react with the NANP repeat region. Our findings indicate that additional efforts are necessary to isolate a true junctional antibody with no or much reduced affinity to the NANP region to elucidate the role of the junctional epitope in protection. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been the foundation for the design of transmission blocking malaria vaccines. To date, the most promising CSP-based vaccine candidate is RTS,S, which consists of the central repeating NANP amino-acid sequence and the C-terminal domain of CSP fused to hepatitis B surface antigen that assembles into virus-like particles. Potential shortcomings of RTS,S includes the lack of other potential CSP epitopes such as the junctional epitope, which is located between the N-terminal domain of CSP and the start of the NANP repeat region. Here, we elicited antibodies against full-length CSP and screened for junctional epitope binding. We then used an array of biophysical techniques to elucidate the nature of the binding and tested the level of two protective antibodies in a mouse challenge model. Although the antibodies were able to bind both junctional and NANP epitopes, the in vivo data showed distinct levels of protection between themselves and also to an NANP-only binder. Our data suggest that their protection ability may be related to the strong cross-reactivity with NANP epitopes. Since all reported junctional antibodies to date have dual-specificity, we suggest that a true junctional binder with no or very low NANP affinity, if one can be found, is essential to evaluate the contribution of the junctional epitope to protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Phillip C. Aoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Špela Binter
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sean Carroll
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sini Reponen
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rachael Wash
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Qi Liang
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Franck Lemiale
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Allan Bradley
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - C. Richter King
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Daniel Emerling
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Paul Kellam
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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27
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Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Torres JL, Flores-Garcia Y, Martin GM, González-Páez GE, Emerling D, Volkmuth W, Locke E, King CR, Zavala F, Ward AB, Wilson IA. Diverse Antibody Responses to Conserved Structural Motifs in Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein. J Mol Biol 2019; 432:1048-1063. [PMID: 31883801 PMCID: PMC7057269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S/AS01 is based on the central and C-terminal regions of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of P. falciparum. mAb397 was isolated from a volunteer in an RTS,S/AS01 clinical trial, and it protects mice from infection by malaria sporozoites. However, mAb397 originates from the less commonly used VH3-15 germline gene compared to the VH3-30/33 antibodies generally elicited by RTS,S to the central NANP repeat region of CSP. The crystal structure of mAb397 with an NPNA4 peptide shows that the central NPNA forms a type I β-turn and is the main recognition motif. In most anti-NANP antibodies studied to date, a germline-encoded Trp is used to engage the Pro in NPNA β-turns, but here the Trp interacts with the first Asn. This “conserved” Trp, however, can arise from different germline genes and be located in the heavy or the light chain. Variation in the terminal ψ angles of the NPNA β-turns results in different dispositions of the subsequent NPNA and, hence, different stoichiometries and modes of antibody binding to rsCSP. Diverse protective antibodies against NANP repeats are therefore not limited to a single germline gene response or mode of binding. mAb397 from an RTS,S trial binds NANP repeats of malaria circumsporozoite protein. Protective mAb397 is encoded by the VH3-15 gene that is rare for NANP antibodies. Anti-NANP mAbs bind type I β-turns in three modes using germline-encoded Trp residues. The Trp of mAb397 interacts with Asn instead of Pro in the NPNA type I β-turn. Diversity in NANP immune responses can aid in next-generation vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan L Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21204, USA
| | - Gregory M Martin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Gonzalo E González-Páez
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - C Richter King
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21204, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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28
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Flores-Garcia Y, Herrera SM, Jhun H, Pérez-Ramos DW, King CR, Locke E, Raghunandan R, Zavala F. Optimization of an in vivo model to study immunity to Plasmodium falciparum pre-erythrocytic stages. Malar J 2019; 18:426. [PMID: 31849326 PMCID: PMC6918627 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3055-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [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: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium is a key surface antigen that induces antibodies and T-cells, conferring immune protection in animal models and humans. However, much of the work on CSP and immunity has been developed based on studies using rodent or non-human primate CSP antigens, which may not be entirely translatable to CSP expressed by human malaria parasites, especially considering the host specificity of the different species. METHODS Using a genetically engineered strain of Plasmodium berghei that expresses luciferase, GFP and the Plasmodium falciparum orthologue of CSP, the effect of laboratory preparation, mosquito treatment and mouse factors on sporozoite infectivity was assessed using an in vivo bioluminescence assay on mice. This assay was compared with a PCR-based protection assay using an already described monoclonal antibody that can provide sterile protection against sporozoite challenge. RESULTS Bioluminescence assay demonstrated similar detection levels of the quantity and kinetics of liver-stage infection, compared to PCR-based detection. This assay was used to evaluate treatment of sporozoite and delivery method on mouse infectivity, as well as the effects of age, sex and strain of mice. Finally, this assay was used to test the protective capacity of monoclonal antibody AB317; results strongly recapitulate the findings of previous work on this antibody. CONCLUSIONS The PbGFP-Luc line and in vivo bioluminescence imaging provide highly sensitive read-outs of liver-stage infection in mice, and this method can be useful to reliably evaluate potency of pre-erythrocytic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sonia M Herrera
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Hugo Jhun
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daniel W Pérez-Ramos
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - C Richter King
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Ramadevi Raghunandan
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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29
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Vom Steeg LG, Flores-Garcia Y, Zavala F, Klein SL. Irradiated sporozoite vaccination induces sex-specific immune responses and protection against malaria in mice. Vaccine 2019; 37:4468-4476. [PMID: 31262583 PMCID: PMC7862922 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.06.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In both preclinical animal studies and human clinical trials, adult females tend to develop greater adaptive immune responses than males following receipt of either viral or bacterial vaccines. While there is currently no approved malaria vaccine, several anti-sporozoite vaccines, including RTS,S/AS01 and attenuated sporozoite vaccines, are in development, but the impact of sex and age on their efficacy remains undefined. To examine sex differences in the efficacy of anti-sporozoite stage malaria vaccination, adult (10 weeks of age) or juvenile (11 days of age) male and female C3H mice were twice vaccinated with irradiated transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing the P. falciparum circumsporozoite (CSP) protein and 45 days post boost vaccination, mice were challenged with transgenic P. berghei via mosquito bite or intradermal challenge. Immunization with irradiated sporozoites resulted in greater protection against challenge in adult females, which was associated with greater anti-CSP antibody production and avidity, as well as greater hepatic, but not splenic, CD8+ T cell IFNƴ production in adult females than adult males. No sex differences in adaptive immune responses or protection were observed in mice vaccinated prior to puberty, suggesting a role for sex steroid hormones. Depletion of testosterone in males increased, whereas rescue of testosterone decreased, anti-CSP antibody production, the number of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells isolated from the liver, and protection following parasite challenge. Conversely, depletion of sex steroids in female mice did not alter vaccine-induced responses or protection following challenge. These data suggest that elevated testosterone concentrations in males reduce adaptive immunity and contribute to sex differences in malaria vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Landon G Vom Steeg
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD, USA
| | - Sabra L Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Abstract
Evidence accumulated through the years clearly indicates that antiparasite immune responses can efficiently control malaria parasite infection at all development stages, and under certain circumstances they can prevent parasite infection. Translating these findings into vaccines or immunotherapeutic interventions has been difficult in part because of the extraordinary biological complexity of this parasite, which has several developmental stages expressing unique sets of stage-specific genes and multiple antigens, most of which are antigenically diverse. Nevertheless, in the last 30 years major advances have resulted in characterization of a number of vaccine candidates, exploration of the repertoire of host immune responses to the various parasite stages, and also identification of significant hurdles that need to be overcome. Most important, these advances strengthened the concept that the induction of host immune responses that target all developmental stages of Plasmodium can efficiently control or abrogate Plasmodium infections and strongly support the notion that an effective vaccine can be developed. This vaccine would be a critical component for programs aimed at controlling or eradicating malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Departmentof Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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Espinosa DA, Christensen D, Muñoz C, Singh S, Locke E, Andersen P, Zavala F. Robust antibody and CD8 + T-cell responses induced by P. falciparum CSP adsorbed to cationic liposomal adjuvant CAF09 confer sterilizing immunity against experimental rodent malaria infection. NPJ Vaccines 2017; 2. [PMID: 28936360 PMCID: PMC5603302 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-017-0011-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite several decades of extensive research, the development of a highly efficacious malaria vaccine has yet to be accomplished. While the RTS,S malaria vaccine candidate shows the potential to prevent a substantial number of clinical malaria cases, significant improvements in protective efficacy are still needed. Multiple studies have shown that RTS,S induces protective antibody and CD4+ T-cell responses, but limited or negligible CD8+ T cells. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective capacity of full-length recombinant Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein administered with the novel cationic liposomal adjuvant system CAF09. Using newly developed transgenic rodent malaria parasites expressing the full-length Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein, we demonstrate that this liposome-based protein-in-adjuvant formulation is capable of inducing robust antibody and CD8+ T-cell responses that strongly inhibit parasite infection and development of liver stages, conferring durable sterilizing immunity. These findings underscore the potential of liposome-based adjuvants for inducing robust humoral and CD8+ T-cell responses and warrant further studies toward the development of novel subunit vaccine formulations with this adjuvant system. A vaccine consisting of parasitic proteins enveloped by fatty molecules provides comprehensive protection against malaria in a rodent model, Previous and current malaria vaccines concentrate on priming antibodies to recognize malarial infection, despite evidence that, by activating ‘killer’ CD8+ T cells, greater protection is conferred against the disease. Fidel Zavala, of the Johns Hopkins University, United States, and an international group of researchers developed their vaccine by encapsulating proteins from the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum in fat-based carriers called liposomes. In past experiments, killer T cells recruited via this vaccine-type have effectively protected against other diseases. In this study, the vaccine induced both CD8+ T cell and antibody responses and provided significant immunity against P. falciparum-instigated malaria. As a highly efficacious vaccine against malaria is not yet available, this research will likely prove invaluable in guiding further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Espinosa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dennis Christensen
- Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Muñoz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington DC, USA
| | - Peter Andersen
- Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Luo K, Zavala F, Gordy J, Zhang H, Markham RB. Extended protection capabilities of an immature dendritic-cell targeting malaria sporozoite vaccine. Vaccine 2017; 35:2358-2364. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.03.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Aguiar ACC, Figueiredo FJB, Neuenfeldt PD, Katsuragawa TH, Drawanz BB, Cunico W, Sinnis P, Zavala F, Krettli AU. Primaquine-thiazolidinones block malaria transmission and development of the liver exoerythrocytic forms. Malar J 2017; 16:110. [PMID: 28279180 PMCID: PMC5345155 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1755-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Primaquine is an anti-malarial used to prevent Plasmodium vivax relapses and malaria transmission. However, PQ metabolites cause haemolysis in patients deficient in the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Fifteen PQ-thiazolidinone derivatives, synthesized through one-post reactions from primaquine, arenealdehydes and mercaptoacetic acid, were evaluated in parallel in several biological assays, including ability to block malaria transmission to mosquitoes. Results All primaquine derivatives (PQ-TZs) exhibited lower cell toxicity than primaquine; none caused haemolysis to normal or G6PD-deficient human erythrocytes in vitro. Sera from mice pretreated with the test compounds thus assumed to have drug metabolites, caused no in vitro haemolysis of human erythrocytes, whereas sera from mice pretreated with primaquine did cause haemolysis. The ability of the PQ-TZs to block malaria transmission was evaluated based on the oocyst production and percentage of mosquitoes infected after a blood meal in drug pre-treated animals with experimental malaria caused by either Plasmodium gallinaceum or Plasmodium berghei; four and five PQ-TZs significantly inhibited sporogony in avian and in rodent malaria, respectively. Selected PQ-TZs were tested for their inhibitory activity on P. berghei liver stage development, in mice and in vitro, one compound (4m) caused a 3-day delay in the malaria pre-patent period. Conclusions The compound 4m was the most promising, blocking malaria transmissions and reducing the number of exoerythrocytic forms of P. berghei (EEFs) in hepatoma cells in vitro and in mice in vivo. The same compound also caused a 3-day delay in the malaria pre-patent period. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-017-1755-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Caroline C Aguiar
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil.,Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Flávio Jr B Figueiredo
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil
| | - Patrícia D Neuenfeldt
- Laboratório de Química Aplicada à Bioativos, Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos, UFPel, Campus Universitário s/no, Pelotas, RS, 98001-970, Brazil
| | - Tony H Katsuragawa
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia, Fundação Osvaldo Cruz-Fiocruz Rondônia, Bairro Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Bruna B Drawanz
- Laboratório de Química Aplicada à Bioativos, Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos, UFPel, Campus Universitário s/no, Pelotas, RS, 98001-970, Brazil
| | - Wilson Cunico
- Laboratório de Química Aplicada à Bioativos, Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos, UFPel, Campus Universitário s/no, Pelotas, RS, 98001-970, Brazil
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Antoniana U Krettli
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil. .,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil.
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Espinosa DA, Radtke AJ, Zavala F. Development and Assessment of Transgenic Rodent Parasites for the Preclinical Evaluation of Malaria Vaccines. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1403:583-601. [PMID: 27076155 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3387-7_33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Rodent transgenic parasites are useful tools for the preclinical evaluation of malaria vaccines. Over the last decade, several studies have reported the development of transgenic rodent parasites expressing P. falciparum antigens for the assessment of vaccine-induced immune responses, which traditionally have been limited to in vitro assays. However, the genetic manipulation of rodent Plasmodium species can have detrimental effects on the parasite's infectivity and development. In this chapter, we present a few guidelines for designing transfection plasmids, which should improve transfection efficiency and facilitate the generation of functional transgenic parasite strains. In addition, we provide a transfection protocol for the development of transgenic P. berghei parasites as well as practical methods to assess the viability and infectivity of these newly generated strains throughout different stages of their life cycle. These techniques should allow researchers to develop novel rodent malaria parasites expressing antigens from human malaria species and to determine whether these transgenic strains are fully infectious and thus represent stringent platforms for the in vivo evaluation of malaria vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Espinosa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea J Radtke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Systems Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Abstract
Despite reductions in malaria episodes and deaths over the past decade, there is still significant need for more effective tools to combat this serious global disease. The positive results with the Phase III trial of RTS,S directed to the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum have established that a vaccine against malaria can provide partial protection to children in endemic areas, but its limited efficacy and relatively short window of protection mandate that new generations of more efficacious vaccines must be sought. Evidence shows that anti-parasite immune responses can control infection against other stages as well, but translating these experimental findings into vaccines for blood stages has been disappointing and clinical efforts to test a transmission blocking vaccine are just beginning. Difficulties include the biological complexity of the organism with a large array of stage-specific genes many of which in the erythrocytic stages are antigenically diverse. In addition, it appears necessary to elicit high and long-lasting antibody titers, address the redundant pathways of merozoite invasion, and still seek surrogate markers of protective immunity. Most vaccine studies have focused on a single or a few antigens with an apparent functional role, but this is likely to be too restrictive, and broad, multi-antigen, multi-stage vaccines need further investigation. Finally, novel tools and biological insights involving parasite sexual stages and the mosquito vector will provide new avenues for reducing or blocking malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole A. Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, Phone 301-761-5058, FAX 301-443-5778,
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Dept. of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, Phone 443-287-1769, FAX 410-955-0105,
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Cockburn IA, Zavala F. Dendritic cell function and antigen presentation in malaria. Curr Opin Immunol 2016; 40:1-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Bijker EM, Nganou-Makamdop K, van Gemert GJ, Zavala F, Cockburn I, Sauerwein RW. Studying the effect of chloroquine on sporozoite-induced protection and immune responses in Plasmodium berghei malaria. Malar J 2015; 14:130. [PMID: 25889324 PMCID: PMC4389414 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0626-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporozoite immunization of animals and humans under a chemo-prophylactic cover of chloroquine (CPS-CQ) efficiently induces sterile protection against malaria. In humans, CPS-CQ is strikingly more efficient than immunization with radiation attenuated sporozoites (RAS), raising the hypothesis that this might be partially due to CQ. Chloroquine, an established anti-malarial drug, is also well known for its immune modulating properties including improvement of cross-presentation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether co-administration of CQ during sporozoite immunization improves cellular responses and protective efficacy in Plasmodium berghei models. METHODS A number of experiments in selected complimentary P. berghei murine models in Balb/cByJ and C57BL/6j mice was performed. First, the effect of CQ administration on the induction of protection and immune responses by RAS immunization was studied. Next, the effect of CQ on the induction of circumsporozoite (CS) protein-specific CD8(+) T cells by immunization with P. berghei parasites expressing a mutant CS protein was investigated. Finally, a direct comparison of CPS-CQ to CPS with mefloquine (MQ), an anti-malarial with little known immune modulating effects, was performed. RESULTS When CQ was co-administered during immunization with graded numbers of RAS, this did not lead to an increase in frequencies of total memory CD8(+) T cells or CS protein-specific CD8(+) T cells. Also parasite-specific cytokine production and protection remained unaltered. Replacement of CQ by MQ for CPS immunization resulted in significantly reduced percentages of IFNγ producing memory T cells in the liver (p = 0.01), but similar protection. CONCLUSIONS This study does not provide evidence for a direct beneficial effect of CQ on the induction of sporozoite-induced immune responses and protection in P. berghei malaria models. Alternatively, the higher efficiency of CPS compared to RAS might be explained by an indirect effect of CQ through limiting blood-stage exposure after immunization or to increased antigen exposure and, therefore, improved breadth of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Else M Bijker
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Krystelle Nganou-Makamdop
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Current address: Vaccine Research Centre; National Institutes of Health, 40 Convent drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Ian Cockburn
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Current address: John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, GPO Box 334, Canberra City, ACT 2600, Australia.
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Espinosa DA, Gutierrez GM, Rojas-López M, Noe AR, Shi L, Tse SW, Sinnis P, Zavala F. Proteolytic Cleavage of the Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein Is a Target of Protective Antibodies. J Infect Dis 2015; 212:1111-9. [PMID: 25762791 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [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: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in animals and human volunteers demonstrate that antibodies against the repeat-region of the Plasmodium circumsporozoite protein (CSP) abrogate sporozoite infection. However, the realization that the N- and C- terminal regions flanking the repeats play essential roles in parasite infectivity raised the possibility that they could be targeted by protective antibodies. We characterized a monoclonal antibody (mAb5D5) specific for the N-terminus of the P. falciparum CSP, which inhibits the proteolytic cleavage of the CSP, a key requirement for parasite infection of hepatocytes. Adoptive transfer of mAb5D5 strongly inhibits the in vivo infection of sporozoites expressing the N-terminus of P. falciparum CSP, and this protection is greatly enhanced when combined with antirepeat antibodies. Our results show that antibodies interfering with molecular processes required for parasite infectivity can exert a strong in vivo protective activity and indicate that pre-erythrocytic vaccines against Plasmodium should include the CSP N-terminal region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Espinosa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
| | | | - Maricarmen Rojas-López
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
| | | | - Lirong Shi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
| | - Sze-Wah Tse
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
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Noe AR, Espinosa D, Li X, Coelho-dos-Reis JGA, Funakoshi R, Giardina S, Jin H, Retallack DM, Haverstock R, Allen JR, Vedvick TS, Fox CB, Reed SG, Ayala R, Roberts B, Winram SB, Sacci J, Tsuji M, Zavala F, Gutierrez GM. A full-length Plasmodium falciparum recombinant circumsporozoite protein expressed by Pseudomonas fluorescens platform as a malaria vaccine candidate. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107764. [PMID: 25247295 PMCID: PMC4172688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum is a major surface protein, which forms a dense coat on the sporozoite's surface. Preclinical research on CSP and clinical evaluation of a CSP fragment-based RTS, S/AS01 vaccine have demonstrated a modest degree of protection against P. falciparum, mediated in part by humoral immunity and in part by cell-mediated immunity. Given the partial protective efficacy of the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine in a recent Phase 3 trial, further improvement of CSP-based vaccines is crucial. In this report, we describe the preclinical development of a full-length, recombinant CSP (rCSP)-based vaccine candidate against P. falciparum malaria suitable for current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production. Utilizing a novel high-throughput Pseudomonas fluorescens expression platform, we demonstrated greater efficacy of full-length rCSP as compared to N-terminally truncated versions, rapidly down-selected a promising lead vaccine candidate, and developed a high-yield purification process to express immunologically active, intact antigen for clinical trial material production. The rCSP, when formulated with various adjuvants, induced antigen-specific antibody responses as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA), as well as CD4+ T-cell responses as determined by ELISpot. The adjuvanted rCSP vaccine conferred protection in mice when challenged with transgenic P. berghei sporozoites containing the P. falciparum repeat region of CSP. Furthermore, heterologous prime/boost regimens with adjuvanted rCSP and an adenovirus type 35-vectored CSP (Ad35CS) showed modest improvements in eliciting CSP-specific T-cell responses and anti-malarial protection, depending on the order of vaccine delivery. Collectively, these data support the importance of further clinical development of adjuvanted rCSP, either as a stand-alone product or as one of the components in a heterologous prime/boost strategy, ultimately acting as an effective vaccine candidate for the mitigation of P. falciparum-induced malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R. Noe
- Leidos Inc., Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Diego Espinosa
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xiangming Li
- HIV and Malaria Vaccine Program, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Affiliate of The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jordana G. A. Coelho-dos-Reis
- HIV and Malaria Vaccine Program, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Affiliate of The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ryota Funakoshi
- HIV and Malaria Vaccine Program, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Affiliate of The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Steve Giardina
- Leidos Inc., Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Hongfan Jin
- Pfenex Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Ryan Haverstock
- Pfenex Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Thomas S. Vedvick
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Christopher B. Fox
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Steven G. Reed
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ramses Ayala
- Leidos Inc., Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Brian Roberts
- Leidos Inc., Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - John Sacci
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Moriya Tsuji
- HIV and Malaria Vaccine Program, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Affiliate of The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Tse SW, Radtke AJ, Espinosa DA, Cockburn IA, Zavala F. The chemokine receptor CXCR6 is required for the maintenance of liver memory CD8⁺ T cells specific for infectious pathogens. J Infect Dis 2014; 210:1508-16. [PMID: 24823625 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that immunization with attenuated malaria sporozoites induces CD8(+) T cells that eliminate parasite-infected hepatocytes. Liver memory CD8(+) T cells induced by immunization with parasites undergo a unique differentiation program and have enhanced expression of CXCR6. Following immunization with malaria parasites, CXCR6-deficient memory CD8(+) T cells recovered from the liver display altered cell-surface expression markers as compared to their wild-type counterparts, but they exhibit normal cytokine secretion and expression of cytotoxic mediators on a per-cell basis. Most importantly, CXCR6-deficient CD8(+) T cells migrate to the liver normally after immunization with Plasmodium sporozoites or vaccinia virus, but a few weeks later their numbers severely decrease in this organ, losing their capacity to inhibit malaria parasite development in the liver. These studies are the first to show that CXCR6 is critical for the development and maintenance of protective memory CD8(+) T cells in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze-Wah Tse
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Andrea J Radtke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Diego A Espinosa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ian A Cockburn
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland Department of Pathogens and Immunity, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Luo K, Zhang H, Zavala F, Biragyn A, Espinosa DA, Markham RB. Fusion of antigen to a dendritic cell targeting chemokine combined with adjuvant yields a malaria DNA vaccine with enhanced protective capabilities. PLoS One 2014; 9:e90413. [PMID: 24599116 PMCID: PMC3943962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although sterilizing immunity to malaria can be elicited by irradiated sporozoite vaccination, no clinically practical subunit vaccine has been shown to be capable of preventing the approximately 600,000 annual deaths attributed to this infection. DNA vaccines offer several potential advantages for a disease that primarily affects the developing world, but new approaches are needed to improve the immunogenicity of these vaccines. By using a novel, lipid-based adjuvant, Vaxfectin, to attract immune cells to the immunization site, in combination with an antigen-chemokine DNA construct designed to target antigen to immature dendritic cells, we elicited a humoral immune response that provided sterilizing immunity to malaria challenge in a mouse model system. The chemokine, MIP3αCCL20, did not significantly enhance the cellular infiltrate or levels of cytokine or chemokine expression at the immunization site but acted with Vaxfectin to reduce liver stage malaria infection by orders of magnitude compared to vaccine constructs lacking the chemokine component. The levels of protection achieved were equivalent to those observed with irradiated sporozoites, a candidate vaccine undergoing development for further large scale clinical trial. Only vaccination with the combined regimen of adjuvant and chemokine provided 80–100% protection against the development of bloodstream infection. Treating the immunization process as requiring the independent steps of 1) attracting antigen-presenting cells to the site of immunization and 2) specifically directing vaccine antigen to the immature dendritic cells that initiate the adaptive immune response may provide a rational strategy for the development of a clinically applicable malaria DNA vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Luo
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Hong Zhang
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Arya Biragyn
- Immunoregulation Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Diego A. Espinosa
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Richard B. Markham
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Tse SW, Cockburn IA, Zhang H, Scott AL, Zavala F. Unique transcriptional profile of liver-resident memory CD8+ T cells induced by immunization with malaria sporozoites. Genes Immun 2013; 14:302-9. [PMID: 23594961 PMCID: PMC3722257 DOI: 10.1038/gene.2013.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2013] [Revised: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sterile immunity against live Plasmodium infection can be achieved by immunization with radiation attenuated sporozoites. This protection is known to be mediated in part by antigen-specific memory CD8+ T cells, presumably those residing in the liver. We characterized and compared the transcriptional profile of parasite-specific memory CD8+ T cells residing in the liver and spleen after immunization of mice with irradiated sporozoites. Microarray-based expression analysis of these memory CD8+ T cells indicated that liver resident memory cells display a distinct gene expression profile. We found major differences in the expression of immune function genes as well as genes involved in the cell cycle, cell trafficking, transcription and intracellular signaling. Importantly, the malaria parasite-induced liver resident CD8+ T cells display a transcriptional profile different to that described for CD8+ T cells following other microbial challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-W Tse
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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43
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Kastenmüller K, Espinosa DA, Trager L, Stoyanov C, Salazar AM, Pokalwar S, Singh S, Dutta S, Ockenhouse CF, Zavala F, Seder RA. Full-length Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein administered with long-chain poly(I·C) or the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant-stable emulsion elicits potent antibody and CD4+ T cell immunity and protection in mice. Infect Immun 2013; 81:789-800. [PMID: 23275094 PMCID: PMC3584875 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01108-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (CS) protein (CSP) is a major vaccine target for preventing malaria infection. Thus, developing strong and durable antibody and T cell responses against CSP with novel immunogens and potent adjuvants may improve upon the success of current approaches. Here, we compare four distinct full-length P. falciparum CS proteins expressed in Escherichia coli or Pichia pastoris for their ability to induce immunity and protection in mice when administered with long-chain poly(I · C) [poly(I · C)LC] as an adjuvant. CS proteins expressed in E. coli induced high-titer antibody responses against the NANP repeat region and potent CSP-specific CD4(+) T cell responses. Moreover, E. coli-derived CS proteins in combination with poly(I · C)LC induced potent multifunctional (interleukin 2-positive [IL-2(+)], tumor necrosis factor alpha-positive [TNF-α(+)], gamma interferon-positive [IFN-γ(+)]) CD4(+) effector T cell responses in blood, in spleen, and particularly in liver. Using transgenic Plasmodium berghei expressing the repeat region of P. falciparum CSP [Pb-CS(Pf)], we showed that there was a 1- to 4-log decrease in malaria rRNA in the liver following a high-dose challenge and ~50% sterilizing protection with a low-dose challenge compared to control levels. Protection was directly correlated with high-level antibody titers but not CD4(+) T cell responses. Finally, protective immunity was also induced using the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant-stable emulsion (GLA-SE) as the adjuvant, which also correlated with high antibody titers yet CD4(+) T cell immunity that was significantly less potent than that with poly(I · C)LC. Overall, these data suggest that full-length CS proteins and poly(I · C)LC or GLA-SE offer a simple vaccine formulation to be used alone or in combination with other vaccines for preventing malaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Kastenmüller
- Vaccine Research Center and Cellular Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Diego A. Espinosa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lauren Trager
- Vaccine Research Center and Cellular Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Cristina Stoyanov
- Vaccine Research Center and Cellular Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sheetij Dutta
- Division of Malaria Vaccine Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Christian F. Ockenhouse
- Division of Malaria Vaccine Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert A. Seder
- Vaccine Research Center and Cellular Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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44
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Vijayan A, Gómez CE, Espinosa DA, Goodman AG, Sanchez-Sampedro L, Sorzano COS, Zavala F, Esteban M. Adjuvant-like effect of vaccinia virus 14K protein: a case study with malaria vaccine based on the circumsporozoite protein. J Immunol 2012; 188:6407-17. [PMID: 22615208 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1102492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Development of subunit vaccines for malaria that elicit a strong, long-term memory response is an intensive area of research, with the focus on improving the immunogenicity of a circumsporozoite (CS) protein-based vaccine. In this study, we found that a chimeric protein, formed by fusing vaccinia virus protein 14K (A27) to the CS of Plasmodium yoelii, induces strong effector memory CD8(+) T cell responses in addition to high-affinity Abs when used as a priming agent in the absence of any adjuvant, followed by an attenuated vaccinia virus boost expressing CS in murine models. Moreover, priming with the chimeric protein improved the magnitude and polyfunctionality of cytokine-secreting CD8(+) T cells. This fusion protein formed oligomers/aggregates that led to activation of STAT-1 and IFN regulatory factor-3 in human macrophages, indicating a type I IFN response, resulting in NO, IL-12, and IL-6 induction. Furthermore, this vaccination regimen inhibited the liver stage development of the parasite, resulting in sterile protection. In summary, we propose a novel approach in designing CS based pre-erythrocytic vaccines against Plasmodium using the adjuvant-like effect of the immunogenic vaccinia virus protein 14K.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesh Vijayan
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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45
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Tse SW, Radtke AJ, Zavala F. Induction and maintenance of protective CD8+ T cells against malaria liver stages: implications for vaccine development. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2012; 106 Suppl 1:172-8. [PMID: 21881772 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762011000900022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [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] [Received: 03/30/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells against malaria liver stages represent a major protective immune mechanism against infection. Following induction in the peripheral lymph nodes by dendritic cells (DCs), these CD8+ T cells migrate to the liver and eliminate parasite infected hepatocytes. The processing and presentation of sporozoite antigen requires TAP mediated transport of major histocompatibility complex class I epitopes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Importantly, in DCs this process is also dependent on endosome-mediated cross presentation while this mechanism is not required for epitope presentation on hepatocytes. Protective CD8+ T cell responses are strongly dependent on the presence of CD4+ T cells and the capacity of sporozoite antigen to persist for a prolonged period of time. While human trials with subunit vaccines capable of inducing antibodies and CD4+ T cell responses have yielded encouraging results, an effective anti-malaria vaccine will likely require vaccine constructs designed to induce protective CD8+ T cells against malaria liver stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze-Wah Tse
- W Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Abstract
T-cell receptor transgenic mice are powerful tools to study T cell responses to malaria parasites. They allow for a population of antigen specific T cells to be monitored during developing responses to immunization or parasite infection; this makes them particularly useful to study fundamental aspects of T cell activation, differentiation, and migration in different tissue compartments. Moreover, the use of these cells allows for a thorough analysis of the mechanisms of antiparasite activity by T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Chi Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Overstreet MG, Chen YC, Cockburn IA, Tse SW, Zavala F. CD4+ T cells modulate expansion and survival but not functional properties of effector and memory CD8+ T cells induced by malaria sporozoites. PLoS One 2011; 6:e15948. [PMID: 21245909 PMCID: PMC3014941 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 09/25/2010] [Accepted: 11/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CD4+ helper T cells are critical orchestrators of immune responses to infection and vaccination. During primary responses, naïve CD8+ T cells may need “CD4 help” for optimal development of memory populations. The immunological factors attributed to CD4 help depend on the context of immunization and vary depending on the priming system. In response to immunization with radiation-attenuated Plasmodium yoelii sporozoites, CD8+ T cells in BALB/c mice fail to generate large numbers of effector cells without help from CD4+ T cells – a defect not observed in most systems. Given this unique early dependence on CD4 help, we evaluated the effects of CD4+ cells on the development of functional properties of CD8+ T cells and on their ability to abolish infection. First, we determined that this effect was not mediated by CD4+ non-T cells and did not involve CD1d-restricted NKT cells. We found that CD8+ T cells induced by sporozoites without CD4 help formed memory populations severely reduced in magnitude that could not limit parasite development in the liver. The inability of these “helpless” memory T cells to protect is not a result of defects in effector function, as their capacity to produce cytokines and undergo cytotoxic degranulation was indistinguishable from control memory T cells. These data indicate that CD4+ T help may not be necessary to develop the functional attributes of CD8+ T cells; however they are crucial to ensure the survival of effector and memory cells induced in primary responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Overstreet
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yun-Chi Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Cockburn
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sze-Wah Tse
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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48
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Palma C, Overstreet MG, Guedon JM, Hoiczyk E, Ward C, Karen KA, Zavala F, Ketner G. Adenovirus particles that display the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein NANP repeat induce sporozoite-neutralizing antibodies in mice. Vaccine 2011; 29:1683-9. [PMID: 21199707 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2010] [Revised: 12/01/2010] [Accepted: 12/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Adenovirus particles can be engineered to display exogenous peptides on their surfaces by modification of viral capsid proteins, and particles that display pathogen-derived peptides can induce protective immunity. We constructed viable recombinant adenoviruses that display B-cell epitopes from the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) in the major adenovirus capsid protein, hexon. Recombinants induced high-titer antibodies against CSP when injected intraperitoneally into mice. Serum obtained from immunized mice recognized both recombinant PfCSP protein and P. falciparum sporozoites, and neutralized P. falciparum sporozoites in vitro. Replicating adenovirus vaccines have provided economical protection against adenovirus disease for over three decades. The recombinants described here may provide a path to an affordable malaria vaccine in the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Palma
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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49
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Cockburn IA, Chen YC, Overstreet MG, Lees JR, van Rooijen N, Farber DL, Zavala F. Prolonged antigen presentation is required for optimal CD8+ T cell responses against malaria liver stage parasites. PLoS Pathog 2010; 6:e1000877. [PMID: 20463809 PMCID: PMC2865532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [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: 01/14/2010] [Accepted: 03/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunization with irradiated sporozoites is currently the most effective vaccination strategy against liver stages of malaria parasites, yet the mechanisms underpinning the success of this approach are unknown. Here we show that the complete development of protective CD8+ T cell responses requires prolonged antigen presentation. Using TCR transgenic cells specific for the malaria circumsporozoite protein, a leading vaccine candidate, we found that sporozoite antigen persists for over 8 weeks after immunization--a remarkable finding since irradiated sporozoites are incapable of replication and do not differentiate beyond early liver stages. Persisting antigen was detected in lymphoid organs and depends on the presence of CD11c+ cells. Prolonged antigen presentation enhanced the magnitude of the CD8+ T cell response in a number of ways. Firstly, reducing the time primed CD8+ T cells were exposed to antigen in vivo severely reduced the final size of the developing memory population. Secondly, fully developed memory cells expanded in previously immunized mice but not when transferred to naïve animals. Finally, persisting antigen was able to prime naïve cells, including recent thymic emigrants, to become functional effector cells capable of eliminating parasites in the liver. Together these data show that the optimal development of protective CD8+ T cell immunity against malaria liver stages is dependent upon the prolonged presentation of sporozoite-derived antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A. Cockburn
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yun-Chi Chen
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael G. Overstreet
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jason R. Lees
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nico van Rooijen
- Vrije Universiteit, VUMC, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Donna L. Farber
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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50
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Tse SW, Chen YC, Cockburn I, Zavala F. Gene Signature of Memory CD8+ T cells Produced by Irradiated Plasmodium Sporozoite Immunization (132.28). The Journal of Immunology 2010. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.184.supp.132.28] [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: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
In murine malaria models, liver resident memory CD8+ T cells are important for protective immunity as they efficiently eliminate malaria infected hepatocytes in vivo. Further characterization of liver resident memory CD8+ T cells is therefore very crucial for the design of an effective anti-malaria vaccine. Here, we describe a microarray approach aims to elucidate the genes and pathways that may involve in the homing, function and differentiation of liver resident memory T cells. We compared the gene expression profiles of antigen specific CD8+ T cells sorted from liver and those from spleen of mice 30-45 days after immunization with irradiated Plasmodium yoelii sporozoites. Preliminary analysis suggests memory CD8+ T cells from liver and spleen have very distinct gene expression profiles. We found clusters of genes enriched in biological functions such as adhesion, metabolic process, cell cycle and signal transduction. The results suggest that CD8+ T cells reside in peripheral organs such as the liver, may have undergone a different program of development than those memory cells that reside in secondary lymphoid organs such as the spleen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze-Wah Tse
- 1W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Yun-Chi Chen
- 1W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ian Cockburn
- 1W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Fidel Zavala
- 1W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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