1
|
Ratishvili T, Quach HQ, Haralambieva IH, Suryawanshi YR, Ovsyannikova IG, Kennedy RB, Poland GA. A multifaceted approach for identification, validation, and immunogenicity of naturally processed and in silico-predicted highly conserved SARS-CoV-2 peptides. Vaccine 2024; 42:162-174. [PMID: 38105139 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 remains a major global public health concern. Antibody waning and immune escape variant emergence necessitate the development of next generation vaccines that induce cross-reactive durable immune responses. T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 demonstrate higher conservation, antigenic breadth, and longevity than antibody responses. Therefore, we sought to identify pathogen-derived T cell epitopes for a potential peptide-based vaccine. We pursued an approach leveraging: 1) liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based identification of peptides from ancestral SARS-CoV-2-infected cell lines, 2) epitope prediction algorithms, and 3) overlapping peptide libraries. From this strategy, we identified 380 unique SARS-CoV-2-derived peptide sequences, including 53 antigenic HLA class I and class II peptides from multiple structural and non-structural/accessory viral proteins. These peptide sequences were highly conserved across variants of concern/interest (VoC/VoIs), and are estimated to achieve coverage of >96% of the world population. Our findings validate this discovery pipeline for peptide identification and immunogenicity testing, and are a crucial step toward the development of a next-generation multi-epitope SARS-CoV-2 peptide vaccine, and a novel vaccine platform methodology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Ratishvili
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Huy Quang Quach
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Iana H Haralambieva
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Inna G Ovsyannikova
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Richard B Kennedy
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Gregory A Poland
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Suryawanshi YR. An overview of protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Vaccine 2023; 41:6174-6193. [PMID: 37699784 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic which, to date, has resulted in an estimated loss of over 15 million human lives globally and continues to have negative social, and economic implications worldwide. Vaccine platforms that can be quickly updated to counter newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants are critical in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Messenger RNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines can be easily updated and have shown superior efficacy over other vaccine types, yet their high cost, reactogenicity, and stringent need for ultracold storage limit their accessibility. Global access to economic, safe, and effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is a critical step toward reducing COVID-19-associated mortality and ending the pandemic. Several protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines targeting the spike protein (or its receptor-binding domain) have demonstrated safety and efficacy in clinical studies. Moreover, protein-based vaccines can be updated to immunize against new virus variants. Protein-based vaccines do not contain live viruses and are safe to use in immunocompromised and elderly populations, and can be optimized to improve the immune outcome in these poorly immunoresponsive individuals by using adjuvants. SARS-CoV-2 shows high genetic variability, similar to other RNA viruses, and protein-based vaccines are an economically feasible vaccine platform that can be used to design new vaccines with durable protective immunity, in addition to expanding the vaccine coverage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group and Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Suryawanshi YR, Nace RA, Russell SJ, Schulze AJ. MicroRNA-detargeting proves more effective than leader gene deletion for improving safety of oncolytic Mengovirus in a nude mouse model. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 23:1-13. [PMID: 34589580 PMCID: PMC8455367 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A dual microRNA-detargeted oncolytic Mengovirus, vMC24NC, proved highly effective against a murine plasmacytoma in an immunocompetent syngeneic mouse model; however, there remains the concern of escape mutant development and the potential for toxicity in severely immunocompromised cancer patients when it is used as an oncolytic virus. Therefore, we sought to compare the safety and efficacy profiles of an attenuated Mengovirus containing a virulence gene deletion versus vMC24NC in an immunodeficient xenograft mouse model of human glioblastoma. A Mengovirus construct, vMC24ΔL, wherein the gene coding for the leader protein, a virulence factor, was deleted, was used for comparison. The vMC24ΔL induced significant levels of toxicity following treatment of subcutaneous human glioblastoma (U87-MG) xenografts as well as when injected intracranially in athymic nude mice, reducing the overall survival. The in vivo toxicity of vMC24ΔL was associated with viral replication in nervous and cardiac tissue. In contrast, microRNA-detargeted vMC24NC demonstrated excellent efficacy against U87-MG subcutaneous xenografts and improved overall survival significantly compared to that of control mice without toxicity. These results reinforce microRNA-detargeting as an effective strategy for ameliorating unwanted toxicities of oncolytic picornaviruses and substantiate vMC24NC as an ideal candidate for clinical development against certain cancers in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh R. Suryawanshi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1 Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Nace
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1 Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Stephen J. Russell
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1 Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Autumn J. Schulze
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1 Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Insufficiency of standard cancer therapeutic agents and a high degree of toxicity associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy have created a dearth of therapeutic options for metastatic cancers. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are an emerging therapeutic option for the treatment of various human cancers. Several OVs, including poxviruses, are currently in preclinical and clinical studies and have shown to be effective in treating metastatic cancer types. Tanapoxvirus (TANV), a member of the Poxviridae family, is being developed as an OV for different human cancers due to its desirable safety and efficacy features. TANV causes a mild self-limiting febrile disease in humans, does not spread human to human, and its large genome makes it a relatively safer OV for use in humans. TANV is relatively well characterized at both molecular and clinical levels. Some of the TANV-encoded proteins that are a part of the virus' immune evasion strategy are also characterized. TANV replicates considerably slower than vaccinia virus. TANV has been shown to replicate in different human cancer cells in vitro and regresses human tumors in a nude mouse model. TANV is currently being developed as a therapeutic option for several human cancers including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, retinoblastoma, and melanoma. This review provides a comprehensive summary from the discovery to the development of TANV as an OV candidate for a wide array of human cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN; Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Virology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Tiantian Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Virology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, City of Hope, CA, USA
| | - Farzad Razi
- Department of Biology, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Karim Essani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Virology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang T, Kordish DH, Suryawanshi YR, Eversole RR, Kohler S, Mackenzie CD, Essani K. Oncolytic Tanapoxvirus Expressing Interleukin-2 is Capable of Inducing the Regression of Human Melanoma Tumors in the Absence of T Cells. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2019; 18:577-591. [PMID: 28669340 DOI: 10.2174/1568009617666170630143931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oncolytic viruses (OVs), which preferentially infect cancer cells and induce host anti-tumor immune responses, have emerged as an effective melanoma therapy. Tanapoxvirus (TANV), which possesses a large genome and causes mild self-limiting disease in humans, is potentially an ideal OV candidate. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a T-cell growth factor, plays a critical role in activating T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages in both the innate and adaptive immune system. OBJECTIVE We aimed to develop a recombinant TANV expressing mouse IL-2 (TANVΔ66R/mIL- 2), replacing the viral thymidine kinase (TK) gene (66R) with the mouse (m) mIL-2 transgene resulting in TANVΔ66R/mIL-2. METHODS Human melanoma tumors were induced in female athymic nude mice by injecting SKMEL- 3 cells subcutaneously. Mice were treated with an intratumoral injection of viruses when the tumor volumes reached 45 ± 4.5 mm3. RESULTS In cell culture, expression of IL-2 attenuated virus replication of not only TANVΔ66R/ mIL-2, but also TANVGFP. It was demonstrated that IL-2 inhibited virus replication through intracellular components and without activating the interferon-signaling pathway. Introduction of mIL-2 into TANV remarkably increased its anti-tumor activity, resulting in a more significant regression than with wild-type (wt) TANV and TANVΔ66R. Histopathological studies showed that extensive cell degeneration with a significantly increased peri-tumor accumulation of mononuclear cells in the tumors treated with TANVΔ66R/mIL-2, compared to wtTANV or TANVΔ66R. CONCLUSION We conclude that TANVΔ66R/mIL-2 is potentially therapeutic for human melanomas in the absence of T cells, and IL-2 expression resulted in an overall increase of therapeutic efficacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Zhang
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| | - Dennis H Kordish
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| | - Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| | - Rob R Eversole
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| | - Steven Kohler
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| | - Charles D Mackenzie
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang T, Suryawanshi YR, Szymczyna BR, Essani K. Neutralization of matrix metalloproteinase-9 potentially enhances oncolytic efficacy of tanapox virus for melanoma therapy. Med Oncol 2017; 34:129. [PMID: 28593604 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-017-0988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are involved in degradation of extracellular matrix, are critical regulators in tumor progression, metastasis and angiogenesis. Although induction of MMPs is frequently observed during the viral infection, the effect of MMPs on viral replication varies between viruses. MMP-9, for instance, is upregulated and promotes the replication of some viruses, such as herpes simplex virus, but inhibits the replication of others. Here, we report that infection with tanapox virus (TPV) promotes the expression of MMP-9 in the melanoma cells. In addition, we show that MMP-9 exerts an anti-viral effect on TPV replication and plays a protective role in TPV-infected melanoma cells in vitro. Moreover, the neutralization of MMP-9 in melanoma cells remarkably enhances the TPV infection and leads to a significant reduction in cell survival. In summary, this study contributes to understanding of the role played by MMP-9 in TPV infectivity and provides more insights for using TPV as cancer virotherapy in future studies. Since TPV has shown substantial oncolytic efficacy in promoting melanoma tumor regression in animal models, identifying mechanisms that suppress MMP-9 expression upon TPV infection can potentially improve its use as a melanoma virotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Zhang
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Blair R Szymczyna
- Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Krishnamurthy RV, Suryawanshi YR, Essani K. Nitrogen isotopes provide clues to amino acid metabolism in human colorectal cancer cells. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2562. [PMID: 28566705 PMCID: PMC5451381 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02793-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [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: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamic acid and alanine make up more than 60 per cent of the total amino acids in the human body. Glutamine is a significant source of energy for cells and also a prime donor of nitrogen in the biosynthesis of many amino acids. Several studies have advocated the role of glutamic acid in cancer therapy. Identification of metabolic signatures in cancer cells will be crucial for advancement of cancer therapies based on the cell's metabolic state. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios (15N/14N, δ15N) are of particular advantage to understand the metabolic state of cancer cells, since most biochemical reactions involve transfer of nitrogen. In our study, we used the natural abundances of nitrogen isotopes (δ15N values) of individual amino acids from human colorectal cancer cell lines to investigate isotope discrimination among amino acids. Significant effects were noticed in the case of glutamic acid, alanine, aspartic acid and proline between cancer and healthy cells. The data suggest that glutamic acid is a nitrogen acceptor while alanine, aspartic acid and proline are nitrogen donors in cancerous cells. One plausible explanation is the transamination of the three acids to produce glutamic acid in cancerous cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R V Krishnamurthy
- Department of Geosciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA.
| | - Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008-5410, USA
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008-5410, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang T, Suryawanshi YR, Woyczesczyk HM, Essani K. Targeting Melanoma with Cancer-Killing Viruses. Open Virol J 2017; 11:28-47. [PMID: 28567163 PMCID: PMC5420172 DOI: 10.2174/1874357901711010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer with ever-increasing incidence. Despite the development in diagnostics and therapies, metastatic melanoma is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent a class of novel therapeutic agents for cancer by possessing two closely related properties for tumor reduction: virus-induced lysis of tumor cells and induction of host anti-tumor immune responses. A variety of viruses, either in "natural" or in genetically modified forms, have exhibited a remarkable therapeutic efficacy in regressing melanoma in experimental and/or clinical studies. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of these viruses, which involve manipulating and targeting the abnormalities of melanoma, and can be categorized as enhancing viral tropism, targeting the tumor microenvironment and increasing the innate and adaptive antitumor responses. Additionally, this review describes the "biomarkers" and deregulated pathways of melanoma that are responsible for melanoma initiation, progression and metastasis. Advances in understanding these abnormalities of melanoma have resulted in effective targeted and immuno-therapies, and could potentially be applied for engineering OVs with enhanced oncolytic activity in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Zhang
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, U.S.A
| | - Yogesh R. Suryawanshi
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, U.S.A
| | - Helene M. Woyczesczyk
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, U.S.A
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang T, Suryawanshi YR, Kordish DH, Woyczesczyk HM, Jeng D, Essani K. Tanapoxvirus lacking a neuregulin-like gene regresses human melanoma tumors in nude mice. Virus Genes 2017; 53:52-62. [PMID: 27738905 PMCID: PMC5300959 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-016-1402-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin (NRG), an epidermal growth factor is known to promote the growth of various cell types, including human melanoma cells through ErbB family of tyrosine kinases receptors. Tanapoxvirus (TPV)-encoded protein TPV-15L, a functional mimic of NRG, also acts through ErbB receptors. Here, we show that the TPV-15L protein promotes melanoma proliferation. TPV recombinant generated by deleting the 15L gene (TPVΔ15L) showed replication ability similar to that of wild-type TPV (wtTPV) in owl monkey kidney cells, human lung fibroblast (WI-38) cells, and human melanoma (SK-MEL-3) cells. However, a TPV recombinant with both 15L and the thymidine kinase (TK) gene 66R ablated (TPVΔ15LΔ66R) replicated less efficiently compared to TPVΔ15L and the parental virus. TPVΔ15L exhibited more robust tumor regression in the melanoma-bearing nude mice compared to other TPV recombinants. Our results indicate that deletion of TPV-15L gene product which facilitates the growth of human melanoma cells can be an effective strategy to enhance the oncolytic potential of TPV for the treatment of melanoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Zhang
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Yogesh R Suryawanshi
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Dennis H Kordish
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Helene M Woyczesczyk
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - David Jeng
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA.
| |
Collapse
|