Antigen Adjuvant Research Articles

Maternal Immunization with Adjuvanted Recombinant Receptor-Binding Domain Protein Provides Immune Protection against SARS-CoV-2 in Infant Monkeys.

Maternal vaccinations administered prior to conception or during pregnancy enhance the immune protection of newborn infants against many pathogens. A feasibility experiment was conducted to determine if monkeys can be used to model the placental transfer of maternal antibody against SARS-CoV-2. Six adult rhesus monkeys were immunized with adjuvanted recombinant-protein antigens comprised of receptor-binding domain human IgG1-Fc fusion proteins (RBD-Fc) containing protein sequences from the ancestral-Wuhan or Gamma variants. The female monkeys mounted robust and sustained anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. Blood samples collected from their infants after delivery verified prenatal transfer of high levels of spike-specific IgG, which were positively correlated with maternal IgG titers at term. In addition, an in vitro test of ACE2 neutralization indicated that the infants' IgG demonstrated antigen specificity, reflecting prior maternal immunization with either Wuhan or Gamma-variant antigens. All sera showed stronger ACE2-RBD binding inhibition when variants in the assay more closely resembled the vaccine RBD sequence than with more distantly related variants (i.e., Delta and Omicron). Monkeys are a valuable animal model for evaluating new vaccines that can promote maternal and infant health. Further, the findings highlight the enduring nature and safety of the immune protection elicited by an adjuvanted recombinant RBD-Fc vaccine.

Determination of Deamidation in Adjuvanted Vaccine Antigens through Isoaspartic Acid Quantification.

Deamidation is a post-translational chemical modification that occurs within proteins and can be influenced by many factors, including temperature and pH. In vaccines, deamidation is considered undesirable as it may lead to changes in structure, function, stability, and immunogenicity. Detecting deamidation in vaccines, especially adjuvanted vaccines, can be challenging due to the lack of simple quantitative techniques. In this study, the quantification of isoaspartic acid (isoAsp) was used to assess deamidation in model antigens in the presence and absence of common vaccine adjuvants. This study shows that the detection of isoAsp was possible in the presence of various types of adjuvants with little to no interference. High levels of isoAsp were detected in thermally and pH-stressed adjuvanted vaccines, suggesting significant deamidation and highlighting the stability-indicating capabilities of the assay. The quantification of isoAsp in stability programs of a vaccine drug product could possibly find applications in product shelf-life determination, using thermal kinetic modeling to predict deamidation over time. The ability to detect deamidation early in vaccine development enhances process improvements and ultimately improves the vaccine's stability. To summarize, this paper describes a rapid and simple method to determine deamidation in adjuvanted vaccines. This method could be applicable to formulation development, stability assessment, or shelf-life determination.

Anti-HBsAg IgY polyclonal antibodies potential as capture antibody for HBsAg Detection Kit development

Hepatitis B, affecting about 296 million globally, is a significant concern, with Indonesia ranking second in Southeast Asia for case numbers. The disease's latent initial phase, devoid of early symptoms upon hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, highlights the demand for precise diagnostics. This research aimed to develop anti-HBsAg polyclonal antibodies (pAb) for application as capture agents within a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Chicken egg-derived IgY antibodies have advantages over mammalian ones due to simpler extraction and higher yield. In a study involving 21-week-old chickens, four intramuscular injections of 500 µg HBsAg antigen in Freund's adjuvant were administered at two-week intervals. Eggs as IgY source were collected daily and then IgY was isolated from eggyolk using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation. The Bradford method was used to measure the total protein concentration, while the existence of IgY and pAb specific IgY against Anti-HBsAg was verified through SDS-PAGE and sandwich ELISA using HRP as a reporter, respectively. The resulting SDS-PAGE showed two distinct IgY bands: a 68 kDa heavy chain and a 23 kDa light chain. Using these anti-HBsAg IgY antibodies as capturing agents, the slightly elevation of IgY pAb against HBsAg level has been identified within the second week following the initial immunization. Subsequently, from the third to the eighth week, antibody levels escalated significantly, ranging from 2 to 13-fold higher than those observed in the second week. These findings suggest the potential use of IgY pAb as effective capture antibodies in sandwich ELISA for HBsAg antigen detection.

An intranasal influenza virus vector vaccine protects against Helicobacter pylori in mice.

Helicobacter pylori is a human pathogen that infects almost half of the population. Antibiotic resistance in H. pylori threatens health and increases the demand for prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Traditional oral vaccine research faces considerable challenges because of the epithelial barrier, potential enterotoxicity of adjuvants, and the challenging conditions of the gastric environment. We developed an intranasal influenza A virus (IAV) vector vaccine based on two live attenuated influenza viruses with modified acidic polymerase protein (PA) genes encoding the A subunit of H. pylori neutrophil-activating protein (NapA), named IAV-NapA, including influenza virus A/WSN/33 (WSN)-NapA and A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8)-NapA. These recombinant influenza viruses were highly attenuated and exhibited strong immunogenicity in mice. Vaccination with IAV-NapA induced antigen-specific humoral and mucosal immune responses while stimulating robust Th1 and Th17 cell immune responses in mice. Our findings suggest that prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination with influenza virus vector vaccines significantly reduces colonization of H. pylori and inflammation in the stomach of mice.IMPORTANCEHelicobacter pylori is the most common cause of chronic gastritis and leads to severe gastroduodenal pathology in some patients. Many studies have shown that Th1 and Th17 cellular and gastric mucosal immune responses are critical in reducing H. pylori load. IAV vector vaccines can stimulate these immune responses while overcoming potential adjuvant toxicity and antigen dosing issues. To date, no studies have demonstrated the role of live attenuated IAV vector vaccines in preventing and treating H. pylori infection. Our work indicates that vaccination with IAV-NapA induces antigen-specific humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity, producing a protective and therapeutic effect against H. pylori infection in BALB/c mice. This undescribed H. pylori vaccination approach may provide valuable information for developing vaccines against H. pylori infection.

Choice of adjuvant and antigen composition alters the immunogenic profile of a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine

Introduction: Since their introduction, adjuvanted recombinant subunit vaccines against COVID-19 have played a pivotal role in protecting global populations. Optimizing the immune response’s quality, amplitude, and durability to these vaccines depends on the appropriate adjuvant choice and dose in combination with the selected antigen.Methods: Here, we employed a preclinical mouse model to study the adaptive humoral and cellular immune responses to a SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen formulated with one of four different immune agonists [GLA, 3M-052, CpG-1826 (CpG), and dmLT], in combination with one of two different immune-stimulating formulations, a stabilized squalene emulsion (SE) or aluminum hydroxide (Alum). Using a weighted desirability index, we established an immunogenicity ranking for each adjuvant in combination with the RBD antigen.Results: We found that formulations of the RBD with Alum in combination with either 3M-052 or CpG led to at least a 2-log increase in serum IgG production and a 1.3- to 2.2-log increase in the number of bone marrow-derived antibody-secreting cells compared to the RBD formulated with Alum without an additional agonist. In contrast, the RBD formulated with SE in combination with 3M-052 or CpG did not elicit an IgG response greater than the unadjuvanted control. Additionally, RBD formulated with 3M-052 or CpG on Alum generated a 0.8- or 1.6-log lower splenocyte IL-5 response (a pro-Th2 marker), respectively, than Alum without an additional agonist. When formulated with 3M-052-Alum, a bivalent vaccine containing the original lineage (Wuhan-Hu-1) and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) RBD antigens led to a more than 2-log increase in neutralizing antibodies against an Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) pseudovirus in vaccinated animals compared to animals that received the monovalent RBD antigen.Discussion: Our results suggest that optimal immune responses to subunit antigens may be achieved through an orthogonal approach that applies adjuvant formulation, antigen combination, and advances in rational vaccine development techniques.

In vivo assembly of epitope-coated biopolymer particles that induce anti-tumor responses

There is an unmet need for antigen delivery systems that elicit efficient T cell priming to prevent infectious diseases or for treatment of cancers. Here, we explored the immunogenic potential of biologically assembled biopolymer particles (BPs) that have been bioengineered to display the antigenic MHC I and MHC II epitopes of model antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Purified dendritic cells (DCs) captured BP-OVA and presented the associated antigenic epitopes to CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. Vaccination with BP-OVA in the absence of adjuvant elicited antigen presentation to OVA-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and cross-primed effective cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) killers. BP-OVA induction of CTL killing did not require CD4+ T cell help, with active CTLs generated in BP-OVA vaccinated I-Ab−/− and CD40−/− mice. In contrast, IL-15 and type I IFN were required, with abrogated CTL activity in vaccinated IL-15−/− and IFNAR1−/− mice. cDC1 and/or CD103+ DCs were not essential for BP-OVA specific CTL with immunization eliciting responses in Batf3−/− mice. Poly I:C, but not LPS or CpG, co-administered as an adjuvant with BP-OVA boosted CTL responses. Finally, vaccination with BP-OVA protected against B16-OVA melanoma and Eμ-myc-GFP-OVA lymphoma inoculation. In summary, we have demonstrated that epitope-displaying BPs represent an antigen delivery platform exhibiting a unique mechanism to effectively engage T cell immune responses.

Nanoparticle-Conjugated Toll-Like Receptor 9 Agonists Improve the Potency, Durability, and Breadth of COVID-19 Vaccines.

Development of effective vaccines for infectious diseases has been one of the most successful global health interventions in history. Though, while ideal subunit vaccines strongly rely on antigen and adjuvant(s) selection, the mode and time scale of exposure to the immune system has often been overlooked. Unfortunately, poor control over the delivery of many adjuvants, which play a key role in enhancing the quality and potency of immune responses, can limit their efficacy and cause off-target toxicities. There is a critical need for improved adjuvant delivery technologies to enhance their efficacy and boost vaccine performance. Nanoparticles have been shown to be ideal carriers for improving antigen delivery due to their shape and size, which mimic viral structures but have been generally less explored for adjuvant delivery. Here, we describe the design of self-assembled poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles decorated with CpG, a potent TLR9 agonist, to increase adjuvanticity in COVID-19 vaccines. By controlling the surface density of CpG, we show that intermediate valency is a key factor for TLR9 activation of immune cells. When delivered with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, CpG nanoparticle (CpG-NP) adjuvant greatly improves the magnitude and duration of antibody responses when compared to soluble CpG, and results in overall greater breadth of immunity against variants of concern. Moreover, encapsulation of CpG-NP into injectable polymeric-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogels enhances the spatiotemporal control over codelivery of CpG-NP adjuvant and spike protein antigen such that a single immunization of hydrogel-based vaccines generates humoral responses comparable to those of a typical prime-boost regimen of soluble vaccines. These delivery technologies can potentially reduce the costs and burden of clinical vaccination, both of which are key elements in fighting a pandemic.

Antigen-caged-adjuvant nanovaccines elicit potent humoral and cellular immune responses

Although the metal adjuvant like aluminum hydroxide is regarded as the prevailing adjuvant in licensed vaccines, it is undermined by gigantic size, rapid antigen detachment and hampered migration to lymphoid system, thus leading to weak adjuvanticity and the failure to trigger cellular immune response. The integrated delivery of antigen and adjuvant to the antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in lymph nodes is vital to improving the poor adjuvanticity of alum-adjuvant. Herein, we demonstrated that an antigen-caged adjuvant strategy significantly promoted the integration between aluminum adjuvant and protein antigen. With controlled bio-mineralization, a single molecule antigen with caged single or alloyed metal adjuvant cluster was prepared. This antigen-caged adjuvant (ACs@Ag) facilitated the migration toward draining lymph nodes and enhanced the internalization of both adjuvant and antigen by APCs, leading to robust antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Antigen-caged alloyed metal adjuvants containing multiple kinds of metal adjuvants was fabricated and resulted in the activation of various immune pathways. The general adjuvanticity of ACs@Ag was determined with two antigens: spike RBD for SARS-CoV-2 and ovalbumin for melanoma, both of which offered effective protection. This work shows that the antigen-caged adjuvant strategy can be a versatile platform for the rational design of metal adjuvant applied in vaccines.

Cancer Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticle Co-loaded with Photosensitizer and Toll-like Receptor 7 Agonist for the Enhancement of Combined Tumor Immunotherapy.

Tumor immunotherapy has shown considerable therapeutic potential in the past few years, but the clinical response rate of immunotherapy is less than 20%. Encountering the high heterogeneity of tumors, it will be a general trend to apply combined therapy for cancer treatment. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) transiently kills tumor cells by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), while residual tumor cells are prone to metastasis, leading to tumor recurrence. In combination with tumor immunotherapy, it is hoped to awaken the host immune system and eradicate residual tumor cells. Herein, cancer cell membrane-coated nanoparticles as a platform to combine PDT, TLR7 agonist, and tumor antigen for the enhancement of tumor therapeutic efficacy are designed. The final biomimetic nanoparticles (CCMV/LTNPs) can specifically kill tumor cells through PDT, while strong host antitumor immune responses are elicited to eliminate residue tumor cells under the help of immune adjuvant and tumor antigen from the cancer cell membrane. In summary, a photoimmunotherapy strategy is designed that synergistically enhances the tumor therapeutic effects by killing tumor cells through PDT and activating host antitumor immune responses through the co-delivery of adjuvant and tumor antigen, which may offer a promising strategy for clinical immunotherapy in the future.

Anti-Tumor Immunity Induced by a Ternary Membrane System Derived From Cancer Cells, Dendritic Cells, and Bacteria.

Cancer vaccines generally are limited by insufficient tumor-specific cellular immunogenicity. Herein, a potent "ABC" ternary membrane-derived vaccine system blended from antigen-presenting mature dendritic cell membranes ("A"), bacterial E. coli cytoplasmic membranes ("B"), and cancer cell membranes ("C") is developed using a block-copolymer micelle-enabled approach. The respective ABC membrane components provide for a source of cellular immune communication/activation and enhanced accumulation in lymph nodes (A), immunological adjuvant (B), and tumor antigens (C). The introduction of dendritic cell (DC) membranes enables multiple cell-to-cell communication and powerful immune activation. ABC activates dendritic cells and promotes T-cell activation and proliferation in vitro. In vivo, ABC is 14- and 304-fold more immunogenic than binary (BC) and single (C) membrane vaccines, and immunization with ABC enhances the frequency of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, leading to an 80% cure rate in tumor-bearing mice. In a surgical resection and recurrence model, ABC prevents recurrence with vaccination from autologous cancer membranes, and therapeutic effects are observed in a lung metastasis model even with heterologous cancer cell membranes. ABCs formed from human cancer patient-derived tumor cells activate human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC). Taken together, the ternary ABC membrane system provides the needed functional components for personalized cancer immunotherapy.

Novel nanoadjuvants balance immune activation with modest inflammation: implications for older adult vaccines

BackgroundAge-associated impairments of immune response and inflammaging likely contribute to poor vaccine efficacy. An appropriate balance between activation of immune memory and inflammatory response may be more effective in vaccines for older adults; attempts to overcome reduced efficacy have included the addition of adjuvants or increased antigenic dose. Next generation vaccine formulations may also use biomaterials to both deliver and adjuvant vaccine antigens. In the context of aging, it is important to determine the degree to which new biomaterials may enhance antigen-presenting cell (APC) functions without inducing potent inflammatory responses of APCs or other immune cell types (e.g., T cells). However, the effect of newer biomaterials on these cell types from young and older adults remains unknown.ResultsIn this pilot study, cells from young and older adults were used to evaluate the effect of novel biomaterials such as polyanhydride nanoparticles (NP) and pentablock copolymer micelles (Mi) and cyclic dinucleotides (CDN; a STING agonist) on cytokine and chemokine secretion in comparison to standard immune activators such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and PMA/ionomycin. The NP treatment showed adjuvant-like activity with induction of inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and select chemokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of both young (n = 6) and older adults (n = 4), yet the degree of activation was generally less than LPS. Treatment with Mi or CDN resulted in minimal induction of cytokines and chemokine secretion with the exception of increased IFN-α and IL-12p70 by CDN. Age-related decreases were observed across multiple cytokines and chemokines, yet IFN-α, IL-12, and IL-7 production by NP or CDN stimulation was equal to or greater than in cells from younger adults. Consistent with these results in aged humans, a combination nanovaccine composed of NP, Mi, and CDN administered to aged mice resulted in a greater percentage of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and greater effector memory cells in draining lymph nodes compared to an imiquimod-adjuvanted vaccine.ConclusionsOverall, our novel biomaterials demonstrated a modest induction of cytokine secretion with a minimal inflammatory profile. These findings suggest a unique role for biomaterial nanoadjuvants in the development of next generation vaccines for older adults.

A multi-targeted T-cell engagement of PD1-resistant colorectal cancer cells via delivery of glycopeptide conjugates.

e14571 Background: Glycan-based cancer immunotherapies are novel therapeutic strategies that use the pivotal role of aberrant glycosylation patterns in cancer progression. Targeting hybrid epitopes consisting of altered glycans and carrier peptides enhances the efficacy and specificity of the anti-tumor immune response. Here, we exploit ensembles of glycopeptide conjugates to steer a multi-targeted yet tumor-specific T-cell response, a technology we call GLAAD (glycopeptides with adjuvant and tumor-associated antigen delivery). By inducing T cells that recognize and eliminate tumor cells and promoting their antigenicity in a therapeutic setting, we show the potential of our GLAAD candidate GNU-101 to overcome the transient and heterogeneous responses frequently observed with traditional immunotherapies. Methods: Using the MC38 syngeneic mouse model of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a therapeutic setting, we tested whether GNU-101 reduces tumor burden when orally administered alone or combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). On day 0, 20 C57/BL6J mice were injected subcutaneously with MC38 CRC cells in each flank. On day 6, mice were supplemented with 3% GNU-101 in the drinking water, while control mice received normal drinking water. On days 6, 9, 12, and 15, half of the mice in each group received an anti-PD1 antibody (aPD1), while the others received isotype control. On day 16, the mice were sacrificed. Results: In this therapeutic setting, a standalone therapy of GNU-101 successfully reduced tumor growth as demonstrated by a statistically significant reduction in both tumor volume and weight. As expected, the aPD1 therapy had only a non-significant effect on tumor growth. Remarkably, its efficacy was improved when combined with GNU-101, leading to a statistically significant reduction of >90% in tumor volume and weight. The analysis of the immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment revealed the activation of CD8 T cells and a reduction of immunosuppressive signals, which likely mediates the anti-tumor efficacy of GNU-101. This was obvious by a higher abundance of CD8 T cells producing IFNγ and secreting granzyme B & perforin and, conversely, lower amounts of Tim3+ CD8 T cells and regulatory T cells (FoxP3+ CD4 T cells) found in mice treated with GNU-101 vs control mice. Conclusions: We demonstrate the immunomodulatory and therapeutic potential of GNU-101 in a pre-clinical mouse study in which the growth of established tumors was significantly reduced, either as a standalone therapy or in combination with existing treatment. By specifically promoting anti-cancer CD8+ T cells while reducing immunosuppressive signals, this easy-to-administer glycopeptide has the potential to create the conditions for long-term cancer control and improve treatment outcomes in cancer that are frequently resistant to immunotherapy, such as many epithelial cancers.

Polymeric Nanoparticles as a Self‐Adjuvanting Peptide Vaccine Delivery System: The Role of Shape

AbstractAntigens incorporated in subunit vaccines are typically poorly immunogenic, so a strong immunostimulant (adjuvant) and/or delivery system is required to boost immunogenicity. In this work, the various functional polymer nanostructures, that is, rods, worms, spheres, and tadpoles are used to develop potent peptide antigen delivery systems. The antigen PADRE‐J8 (PJ8), derived from Group A Streptococcus (GAS) M‐protein, is either physically mixed or chemically conjugated to polymeric nanoparticles of different shapes. The physical mixture of polymeric nanoparticles and antigen is more effective in inducing antibody production than their chemical conjugates. Moreover, rod‐shaped polymeric nanoparticles in physical mixture with PJ8 elicited higher and more opsonic antibody titers than powerful complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)‐adjuvanted antigen. Herein, for the first time it is demonstrated that a) the block copolymer, in nanoparticle form, can act as an immune adjuvant, b) nanoparticle shape plays a crucial role in their immunogenicity, and c) antigen conjugation is not required, nor is antigen encapsulation or absorption.

Determination of Conformational and Functional Stability of Potential Plague Vaccine Candidate in Formulation.

Generally, protein-based vaccines are available in liquid form and are highly susceptible to instability under elevated temperature changes including freezing conditions. There is a need to create a convenient formulation of protein/peptides that can be stored at ambient conditions without loss of activity or production of adverse effects. The efficiency of naturally occurring biocompatible polymer dextran in improving the shelf-life and biological activity of a highly thermally unstable plague vaccine candidate protein called Low Calcium Response V antigen (LcrV), which can be stored at room temperature (30 ± 2 °C), has been evaluated. To determine the preferential interactions with molecular-level insight into solvent-protein interactions, analytical techniques such asspectroscopy, particle size distribution, gel electrophoresis, microscopy, and thermal analysis have been performed along with the evaluation of humoral immune response, invivo. The analytical methods demonstrate the structural stability of the LcrV protein by expressing its interaction with the excipients in the formulation. The invivo studies elicited the biological activity of the formulated antigen with a significantly higher humoral immune response (p-value = 0.047) when compared to the native, adjuvanted antigen. We propose dextran as a potential biopolymer with its co-excipient sodium chloride (NaCl) to provide protein compactness, i.e., prevent protein unfolding by molecular crowding or masking mechanism using preferential hydrophobic interaction for up to three weeks at room temperature (30 ± 2 °C).

EFFICIENCY OF OILY AND POLYELECTROLYTE ADJUVANTS IN CASE OF RABBIT HYPERIMMUNIZATION WITH DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE ANTIGEN OF PSEUDOTUBERCULOSIS MICROORGANISM

A comparative evaluation of two adjuvants: polyazolidinammonium modified with iodine hydrate ions (PAAH) and complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA) was conducted. The assessment was carried out in the process of hyperimmunization of rabbits with a mixture of an adjuvant and dimethyl sulfoxide antigen (DA) of a pseudotuberculous microbe. Both adjuvants stimulated antibody genesis and allowed to obtain hyperimmune sera with high antibody titers. However, CFA showed a slightly higher activity (1:819200) than PAAH (1:409600). The most pronounced stimulating effect of adjuvants was expressed at low doses of DA (0.2-1 mg/rabbit). Large doses of the antigen (16.0 mg/rabbit) enabled to obtain sera with a high antibody titer without adjuvants. The stimulating effect of DA-PAAH and DA-CFA complexes on antibody genesis is associated with the rate and quality of lymphocyte differentiation, and to a lesser extent with an increase of their number. PAAH showed a weak irritating effect on body tissues at the injection spot, and CFA had a strong irritating effect. The application of CFA led to formation of many painful indurations in the subcutaneous tissue of rabbits, which did not resolve between immunizations. Thus, usage of PAAH as an adjuvant in hyperimmunization of rabbits with DA of the pseudotuberculous microbe is potentially productive and without CFA disadvantages.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Metabolites as Biomarkers of Disease Status in Pediatric Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas (DIPG) Treated with Glioma-Associated Antigen Peptide Vaccines.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) are highly aggressive tumors with no currently available curative therapy. This study evaluated whether measurements of in vivo cell metabolites using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) may serve as biomarkers of response to therapy, including progression. Single-voxel MR spectra were serially acquired in two cohorts of patients with DIPG treated with radiation therapy (RT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy and prior to progression: 14 participants were enrolled in a clinical trial of adjuvant glioma-associated antigen peptide vaccines and 32 patients were enrolled who did not receive adjuvant vaccine therapy. Spearman correlations measured overall survival associations with absolute metabolite concentrations of myo-inositol (mI), creatine (Cr), and n-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and their ratios relative to choline (Cho) during three specified time periods following completion of RT. Linear mixed-effects regression models evaluated the longitudinal associations between metabolite ratios and time from death (terminal decline). Overall survival was not associated with metabolite ratios obtained shortly after RT (1.9-3.8 months post-diagnosis) in either cohort. In the vaccine cohort, an elevated mI/Cho ratio after 2-3 doses (3.9-5.2 months post-diagnosis) was associated with longer survival (rho = 0.92, 95% CI 0.67-0.98). Scans performed up to 6 months before death showed a terminal decline in the mI/Cho ratio, with an average of 0.37 ratio/month in vaccine patients (95% CI 0.11-0.63) and 0.26 (0.04-0.48) in the non-vaccine cohort. Higher mI/Cho ratios following RT, consistent with less proliferate tumors and decreased cell turnover, were associated with longer survival, suggesting that this ratio can serve as a biomarker of prognosis following RT. This finding was seen in both cohorts, although the association with OS was detected earlier in the vaccine cohort. Increased mI/Cho (possibly reflecting immune-effector cell influx into the tumor as a mechanism of tumor response) requires further study.

Flagellin Improves the Immune Response of an Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) Subunit Vaccine

Flagellin activates the immune system through Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and can work as an adjuvant for subunit vaccines. In this study, we tested the adjuvancy of two different N-terminal fragments of flagellin, (1) FliC99, residues 1-99, and (2) FliC176, residues 1-176, to incorporate larger areas of the hotspot region for potentially higher levels of TLR5 activation and immune response. A truncated version of the VP2 protein (name tVP2, residues 199-356) of the Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was genetically linked to the flagellin constructs, and the immune response was evaluated in chickens. Results showed that both chimeric antigen-adjuvant constructs increased humoral (total IgG titers), cellular and cytokine immune response (IL-4, IFN-γ). The resulting antibody also successfully neutralized IBDV. We conclude that the N-terminus of flagellin can act as an immune activator to enhance vaccine efficacy.

Oil-in-ionic liquid nanoemulsion-based adjuvant simultaneously enhances the stability and immune responses of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus

Maintaining structural integrity and enhancing stability of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (iFMDV) antigen in adjuvants is crucial to ensure the vaccine potency. Unfortunately, formulation with most reported adjuvants leads to the accelerated dissociation of iFMDV into inactive pentamers. Here, an ionic liquid, i.e., choline and niacin ([Cho][Nic]), which was found to stabilize iFMDV against the acid- and thermo- induced dissociation in buffer solution, was applied to construct a novel oil-in-ionic liquid (o/IL) nanoemulsion adjuvant composed of [Cho][Nic], squalene, and Tween 80. The o/IL nanoemulsion formulated with iFMDV has a monodisperse diameter of 135.8 ± 40.4 nm. The thermostability and long-term stability of iFMDV were remarkably enhanced in o/IL nanoemulsion compared with that in the o/w emulsion without [Cho][Nic] and in the commercial Montanide ISA 206 adjuvant. The o/IL nanoemulsion exerted its adjuvant effects by improving the humoral immune responses. Immunization of o/IL nanoemulsion adjuvanted iFMDV induced specific IgG titers similar to that adjuvanted by Montanide ISA 206 and about 4-fold higher than the un-adjuvanted iFMDV, also promoted the activation of B lymphocytes and the secretion of interleukin-4 in the mice model. This [Cho][Nic]-based o/IL nanoemulsion can serve as a promising adjuvant platform for the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine.

Protective immunity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus serotype 5 chimaeric virus-like particles (VLPs) and viral protein 2 (VP2) vaccines in IFNAR-/- mice

Next generation vaccines have the capability to contribute to and revolutionise the veterinary vaccine industry. African horse sickness (AHS) is caused by an arbovirus infection and is characterised by respiratory distress and/or cardiovascular failure and is lethal to horses. Mandatory annual vaccination in endemic areas curtails disease occurrence and severity. However, development of a next generation AHSV vaccine, which is both safe and efficacious, has been an objective globally for years. In this study, both AHSV serotype 5 chimaeric virus-like particles (VLPs) and soluble viral protein 2 (VP2) were successfully produced in Nicotiana benthamiana ΔXT/FT plants, partially purified and validated by gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based peptide sequencing before vaccine formulation. IFNAR-/- mice vaccinated with the adjuvanted VLPs or VP2 antigens in a 10 µg prime-boost regime resulted in high titres of antibodies confirmed by both serum neutralising tests (SNTs) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Although previous studies reported high titres of antibodies in horses when vaccinated with plant-produced AHS homogenous VLPs, this is the first study demonstrating the protective efficacy of both AHSV serotype 5 chimaeric VLPs and soluble AHSV-5 VP2 as vaccine candidates. Complementary to this, coating ELISA plates with the soluble VP2 has the potential to underpin serotype-specific serological assays.

Analytical technology development to monitor the stability of Polysaccharide-Protein conjugate vaccines

The covalent attachment of a bacterial-derived capsular polysaccharide to protein is of critical importance in transforming the polysaccharide from an antigen with limited immunogenicity in infants and older adults to an antigen that can prevent potentially fatal disease. For a polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (PCV) candidate to be successful, it must be sufficiently stable. Chemical breakage of carbohydrate bonds in the polysaccharide may result in the reduction of “conjugate dose” and could negatively impact immunogenicity and the ability of the vaccine to prime for memory responses. Therefore, development of analytical tools to monitor the integrity of a polysaccharide-protein conjugate (glycoconjugate) vaccine is of practical significance. In this work, reducing SDS-PAGE, Intrinsic Protein Fluorescence Spectroscopy (IPFS), Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF) were evaluated methods to study the impact of time, temperature, and formulation composition on the stability of a glycoconjugate vaccine prepared by multisite coupling of polysaccharide to a carrier protein. In addition, an automated capillary Western system was also evaluated to study the impact of storage on glycoconjugate vaccine stability. Two streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide-protein conjugates (serotype 3 and serotype 19A) were chosen to examine their physicochemical stability when formulated as a single antigen vaccine. While all methods require only a small amount of test article and can test multiple samples per assay run, automated capillary Western has the additional advantage of being highly sensitive even at low concentrations in complex vaccine formulations that contain aluminum adjuvant and multiple antigens. Results suggest that automated capillary Western is stability-indicating and may be an effective analytical technology tool for the formulation development of a multivalent glycoconjugate vaccine.