Preclinical evaluation of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on a recombinant RBD fusion heterodimer of SARS-CoV-2

Current COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with a decline in infection rates, prevention of severe disease, and a decrease in mortality rates. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants are continuously evolving, and development of new accessible COVID-19 vaccines is essential to mitigate the pandemic. Here, we present data on preclinical studies in mice of a receptor-binding domain (RBD)-based recombinant protein vaccine (PHH-1V) consisting of an RBD fusion heterodimer comprising the B.1.351 and B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variants formulated in SQBA adjuvant, an oil-in-water emulsion. A prime-boost immunisation with PHH-1V in BALB/c and K18-hACE2 mice induced a CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell response and RBD-binding antibodies with neutralizing activity against several variants, and also showed a good tolerability profile. Significantly, RBD fusion heterodimer vaccination conferred 100% efficacy, preventing mortality in SARS-CoV-2 infected K18-hACE2 mice, but also reducing Beta, Delta and Omicron infection in lower respiratory airways. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of this recombinant vaccine strategy.

Deficiency of CB2 cannabinoid receptor in mice improves insulin sensitivity but increases food intake and obesity with age

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The endocannabinoid system has a key role in energy storage and metabolic disorders. The endocannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R), which was first detected in immune cells, is present in the main peripheral organs responsible for metabolic control. During obesity, CB2R is involved in the development of adipose tissue inflammation and fatty liver. We examined the long-term effects of CB2R deficiency in glucose metabolism.

METHODS

Mice deficient in CB2R (Cb2 ( -/- ) [also known as Cnr2]) were studied at different ages (2-12 months). Two-month-old Cb2 (-/-) and wild-type mice were treated with a selective CB2R antagonist or fed a high-fat diet.

RESULTS

The lack of CB2R in Cb2 (-/-) mice led to greater increases in food intake and body weight with age than in Cb2 (+/+) mice. However, 12-month-old obese Cb2 (-/-) mice did not develop insulin resistance and showed enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. In agreement, adipose tissue hypertrophy was not associated with inflammation. Similarly, treatment of wild-type mice with CB2R antagonist resulted in improved insulin sensitivity. Moreover, when 2-month-old Cb2 (-/-) mice were fed a high-fat diet, reduced body weight gain and normal insulin sensitivity were observed.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

These results indicate that the lack of CB2R-mediated responses protected mice from both age-related and diet-induced insulin resistance, suggesting that these receptors may be a potential therapeutic target in obesity and insulin resistance.

Chronically increased glucose uptake by adipose tissue leads to lactate production and improved insulin sensitivity rather than obesity in the mouse

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

In adipocytes, triacylglycerol synthesis depends on the formation of glycerol 3-phosphate, which originates either from glucose, through glycolysis, or from lactate, through glyceroneogenesis. However, glucose is traditionally viewed as the main precursor of the glycerol backbone and thus, enhanced glucose uptake would be expected to result in increased triacylglycerol synthesis and contribute to obesity.

METHODS

To further explore this issue, we generated a mouse model with chronically increased glucose uptake in adipose tissue by expressing Gck, which encodes the glucokinase enzyme.

RESULTS

Here we show that the production of high levels of glucokinase led to increased adipose tissue glucose uptake and lactate production, improved glucose tolerance and higher whole-body and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. There was no parallel increase in glycerol 3-phosphate synthesis in vivo, fat accumulation or obesity. Moreover, at high glucose concentrations, in cultured fat cells overproducing glucokinase, glycerol 3-phosphate synthesis from pyruvate decreased, while glyceroneogenesis increased in fat cells overproducing hexokinase II.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATIONS

These findings indicate that the absence of glucokinase inhibition by glucose 6-phosphate probably led to increased glycolysis and blocked glyceroneogenesis in the mouse model. Furthermore, this study suggests that under physiological conditions, when blood glucose increases, glyceroneogenesis may prevail over glycolysis for triacylglycerol formation because of the inhibition of hexokinase II by glucose 6-phosphate. Together these results point to the indirect pathway (glucose to lactate to glycerol 3-phosphate) being key for fat deposition in adipose tissue.

Copolymers of poly-L-lysine with serine and tryptophan form stable DNA vectors: implications for receptor-mediated gene transfer

Inefficient gene transfer and poor stability in physiological medium are important shortcomings for receptor-mediated gene transfer vectors. Here, we evaluate vectors formulated with random copolymers of L-lysine/L-serine (3:1) and L-lysine/L-tryptophan (4:1), focusing on both their biophysical and functional characterization. By means of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we demonstrate that poly-L-lysine (pK), poly-L-lysine-L-tryptophan (pKW) and poly-L-lysine-L-serine (pKS) are able to form compacted, small particles when mixed with plasmid DNA in the absence of salt. Upon dilution in physiological medium, copolymers of both lys/ser and lys/trp do not aggregate, in contrast with poly-L-lysine DNA complexes as determined by scattering, DLS and TEM measurements. Tight packing, as demonstrated by resistance to heparin, SDS and trypsin treatments, is also featured in tryptophan-containing complexes. Successful receptor-mediated endocytosis gene transfer using galactosylated copolymers into cells expressing the asiagloglycoprotein receptor correlated with lack of aggregation. Particles obtained using galactosylated poly-L-lysine-L-tryptophan (Gal-pKW) copolymer demonstrated specific receptor-mediated gene transfer since reporter gene activity dropped in the presence of an excess ligand in the culture medium during transfection. Although copolymers of galactosylated poly-L-lysine-L-serine (Gal-pKS) do not aggregate in the presence of salt, they are not able to internalize in a specific receptor-mediated endocytosis fashion. The introduction of bulky aromatic/hydrophobic (tryptophan) or hydrophillic (serine) moieties into the positively charged vectors allows the compacted particles to disperse into salt-containing medium avoiding salt-induced aggregation. Moreover, tryptophan-containing particles are able to mediate specific gene transfer via receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Receptor-mediated gene transfer vectors: progress towards genetic pharmaceuticals

Although specific delivery to tissues and unique cell types in vivo has been demonstrated for many non-viral vectors, current methods are still inadequate for human applications, mainly because of limitations on their efficiencies. All the steps required for an efficient receptor-mediated gene transfer process may in principle be exploited to enhance targeted gene delivery. These steps are: DNA/vector binding, internalization, subcellular trafficking, vesicular escape, nuclear import, and unpacking either for transcription or other functions (i.e., antisense, RNA interference, etc.). The large variety of vector designs that are currently available, usually aimed at improving the efficiency of these steps, has complicated the evaluation of data obtained from specific derivatives of such vectors. The importance of the structure of the final vector and the consequences of design decisions at specific steps on the overall efficiency of the vector will be discussed in detail. We emphasize in this review that stability in serum and thus, proper bioavailability of vectors to their specific receptors may be the single greatest limiting factor on the overall gene transfer efficiency in vivo. We discuss current approaches to overcome the intrinsic instability of synthetic vectors in the blood. In this regard, a summary of the structural features of the vectors obtained from current protocols will be presented and their functional characteristics evaluated. Dissecting information on molecular conjugates obtained by such methodologies, when carefully evaluated, should provide important guidelines for the creation of effective, targeted and safe DNA therapeutics.

Single-stranded DNA condensed with poly-L-lysine results in nanometric particles that are significantly smaller, more stable in physiological ionic strength fluids and afford higher efficiency of gene delivery than their double-stranded counterparts

Nonviral gene transfer vectors have been actively studied in the past years in order to obtain structural entities with minimum size and defined shape. The final size of a gene transfer vector, which is compacted into unimolecular complexes, is directly proportional to the mass of the nucleic acid to be compacted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the possibility of producing ssDNA vectors and their biophysical and biological characterization. We have obtained ssDNA/poly-L-lysine complexes that are significantly smaller than their double-stranded counterparts. We have also identified a lesser aggregative behavior of compacted single-stranded vs. double-stranded DNA vectors in the presence of physiological NaCl concentrations. Expression of compacted ssDNA is observed in hepatoma cell lines. Moreover, we have successfully delivered galactosylated ssDNA complexes into cells that express the asialoglycoprotein receptor via receptor-mediated endocytosis. The reduced size and biophysical behavior of ssDNA vectors may provide an advantage for transfection of eukaryotic cells.

Biological properties of poly-L-lysine-DNA complexes generated by cooperative binding of the polycation

We have evaluated the effect of NaCl concentration on the mode of binding of poly-L-lysine to DNA and the resulting structural and functional features of the condensed DNA particles using DNA precipitation, DNase I resistance, electron microscopy, and receptor-mediated gene transfer assays. At a high concentration of NaCl and in the presence of excess DNA, poly-L-lysine interacted with DNA cooperatively, fully condensing some of the DNA and leaving the rest of the DNA unbound. At low NaCl concentrations, poly-L-lysine molecules interacted with DNA in a noncooperative fashion, i.e. they bind randomly to the whole population of DNA molecules. Cooperative binding of poly-L-lysine to DNA occurred over a narrow range of NaCl concentrations, and the specific salt concentration depended on the length of the poly-L-lysine. The ability of condensed DNA to withstand digestion by DNase I was correlated with the structural features of the condensed DNA as determined by electron microscopy. Using our condensation procedure, cooperative binding of poly-L-lysine to DNA is a necessary prerequisite for the preparation of condensed DNA having a spherical shape and a diameter of 15-30 nm. Condensed DNA, containing galactosylated poly-L-lysine, was evaluated further for the extent and specificity of receptor-mediated gene transfer into HuH-7 human hepatoma cells via the asialoglycoprotein receptor. Efficient receptor-mediated transfection occurred only when condensed DNA complexes had a spherical shape with a diameter of 15-30 nm; asialofetuin, a natural ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor, inhibited this process by up to 90%. Our results support the importance of appropriate DNA condensation for the uptake and ultimate expression of DNA in hepatic cells.

Biochemical and functional characterization of DNA complexes capable of targeting genes to hepatocytes via the asialoglycoprotein receptor

Electrostatic binding of polycations or basic polypeptides to the DNA phosphate backbone has been previously described as a one-step process which results in uncontrolled aggregation and precipitation of the DNA in solution. We describe here a multistep process in which the condensation of DNA in the presence of poly-L-lysine can be controlled to produce particles of discrete size and shape suitable for receptor-mediated gene transfer in vivo and in vitro. The first step in this process involves the gradual accretion of poly-L-lysine onto the DNA phosphate backbone, until charges are neutralized. The addition of poly-L-lysine to a concentrated solution of DNA in this fashion prevents intermolecular aggregation of the DNA, presumably by promoting the formation of a nucleus of condensation along the length of each DNA molecule. The second stage of the process involves adjusting the ionic strength of the solvent to facilitate the solubilization of compact DNA.poly-L-lysine complexes. Several physical and biochemical parameters have been studied and correlated with the efficacy of DNA/ligand-poly-L-lysine particles in transferring genes to the liver of adult animals by receptor-mediated endocytosis.

An evaluation of receptor-mediated gene transfer using synthetic DNA-ligand complexes

Receptor-mediated gene transfer is an attractive method for therapeutically correcting human genetic diseases since it permits the targeting of DNA to cellular receptors in specific tissues of adult animals. Genes introduced by this technique have been shown to be expressed in the target tissue for varying periods. However, to be useful for gene therapy, it is critical that both the chemical properties and physical interactions of the reagents involved in the design of the DNA delivery vehicle be rigorously characterized. In this review, we discuss the critical steps in the preparation of the DNA-ligand complex and the factors involved in the delivery and regulated expression of a transgene in animal tissues. The feasibility of using this technique for the therapeutic delivery of genes to mammalian tissues will also be evaluated.

[A re-evaluation of the program for diabetes mellitus type 2. A proposal for quality indices]

OBJECTIVE

To find out how accurate our records are and the state of health of the patients with diabetes mellitus type II (DM) in our Base Health Area (BHA) in Osona county (Barcelona), both before and after introducing a new procedure.

DESIGN

Quality control study based on the medical records (PCMR) of DM patients. The evaluation took place between 1.1.90 and 31.12.90; and the re-evaluation between 1.1.91 and 31.12.91, after the DM procedure had been put in place as a corrective measure.

PATIENTS

198 patients: all of those suffering from DM type II.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

110 women and 88 men, with an average age of 65.4 +/- 11.9, were under study. We observed from the records of attendance that 94.4% were or had been smokers, whereas the question of the eye fundus was only mentioned in 36.8%. The introduction of a procedure has improved the records in almost every parameter. In 1991, 36.8% of the patients had normal-weight criteria, 33.3% had good biochemical control and 15.6% fulfilled both these criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Those tests which could be performed with few instruments were carried out much better than those which needed more complex technology or specialist support. Arising from this study, the authors propose four indicators of quality control: 1) Weight normality. 2) Annual plasmatic fructosamine. 3) Annual eye fundus check. 4) Annual proteinuria check.