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Tan HX, Juno JA, Lee WS, Barber-Axthelm I, Kelly HG, Wragg KM, Esterbauer R, Amarasena T, Mordant FL, Subbarao K, Kent SJ, Wheatley AK. Immunogenicity of prime-boost protein subunit vaccine strategies against SARS-CoV-2 in mice and macaques. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1403. [PMID: 33658497 PMCID: PMC7930087 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21665-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are advancing into human clinical trials, with emphasis on eliciting high titres of neutralising antibodies against the viral spike (S). However, the merits of broadly targeting S versus focusing antibody onto the smaller receptor binding domain (RBD) are unclear. Here we assess prototypic S and RBD subunit vaccines in homologous or heterologous prime-boost regimens in mice and non-human primates. We find S is highly immunogenic in mice, while the comparatively poor immunogenicity of RBD is associated with limiting germinal centre and T follicular helper cell activity. Boosting S-primed mice with either S or RBD significantly augments neutralising titres, with RBD-focussing driving moderate improvement in serum neutralisation. In contrast, both S and RBD vaccines are comparably immunogenic in macaques, eliciting serological neutralising activity that generally exceed levels in convalescent humans. These studies confirm recombinant S proteins as promising vaccine candidates and highlight multiple pathways to achieving potent serological neutralisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyon-Xhi Tan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jennifer A Juno
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Wen Shi Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Isaac Barber-Axthelm
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Hannah G Kelly
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kathleen M Wragg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Robyn Esterbauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Thakshila Amarasena
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Francesca L Mordant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kanta Subbarao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen J Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Adam K Wheatley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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