XBB.1.5 spike protein COVID-19 vaccine induces broadly neutralizing and cellular immune responses against EG.5.1 and emerging XBB variants.

Monovalent SARS-CoV-2 Prototype (Wuhan-Hu-1) and bivalent (Prototype + BA.4/5) COVID-19 vaccines have demonstrated a waning of vaccine-mediated immunity highlighted by lower neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB sub-variants. The reduction of humoral immunity due to the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has signaled the need for an update to vaccine composition. A strain change for all authorized/approved vaccines to a monovalent composition with Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 has been supported by the WHO, EMA, and FDA. Here, we demonstrate that immunization with a monovalent recombinant spike protein COVID-19 vaccine (Novavax, Inc.) based on the subvariant XBB.1.5 induces neutralizing antibodies against XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.2.3, EG.5.1, and XBB.1.16.6 subvariants, promotes higher pseudovirus neutralizing antibody titers than bivalent (Prototype + XBB.1.5) vaccine, induces SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific Th1-biased CD4 + T-cell responses against XBB subvariants, and robustly boosts antibody responses in mice and nonhuman primates primed with a variety of monovalent and bivalent vaccines. Together, these data support updating the Novavax vaccine to a monovalent XBB.1.5 formulation for the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

A conserved histidine in Group-1 influenza subtype hemagglutinin proteins is essential for membrane fusion activity.

Influenza A viruses enter host cells through the endocytic pathway, where acidification triggers conformational changes of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) to drive membrane fusion. During this process, the HA fusion peptide is extruded from its buried position in the neutral pH structure and targeted to the endosomal membrane. Conserved ionizable residues near the fusion peptide may play a role in initiating these structural rearrangements. We targeted highly conserved histidine residues in this region, at HA1 position 17 of Group-2 HA subtypes and HA2 position 111 of Group-1 HA subtypes, to determine their role in fusion activity. WT and mutant HA proteins representing several subtypes were expressed and characterized, revealing that His 111 is essential for HA functional activity of Group-1 subtypes, supporting continued efforts to target this region of the HA structure for vaccination strategies and the design of antiviral compounds.

Influenza binds phosphorylated glycans from human lung.

Influenza A viruses can bind sialic acid-terminating glycan receptors, and species specificity is often correlated with sialic acid linkage with avian strains recognizing α2,3-linked sialylated glycans and mammalian strains preferring α2,6-linked sialylated glycans. These paradigms derive primarily from studies involving erythrocyte agglutination, binding to synthetic receptor analogs or binding to undefined surface markers on cells or tissues. Here, we present the first examination of the N-glycome of the human lung for identifying natural receptors for a range of avian and mammalian influenza viruses. We found that the human lung contains many α2,3- and α2,6-linked sialylated glycan determinants bound by virus, but all viruses also bound to phosphorylated, nonsialylated glycans.

Development of a high-throughput assay to detect antibody inhibition of low pH induced conformational changes of influenza virus hemagglutinin.

Many broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) bind to conserved areas of the hemagglutinin (HA) stalk region and can inhibit the low pH induced HA conformational changes necessary for viral membrane fusion activity. We developed and evaluated a high-throughput virus-free and cell-free ELISA based low pH induced HA Conformational Change Inhibition Antibody Detection Assay (HCCIA) and a complementary proteinase susceptibility assay. Human serum samples (n = 150) were tested by HCCIA using H3 recombinant HA. Optical density (OD) ratios of mAb HC31 at pH 4.8 to pH 7.0 ranged from 0.87 to 0.09. Our results demonstrated that low pH induced HA conformational change inhibition antibodies (CCI) neutralized multiple H3 strains after removal of head-binding antibodies. The results suggest that HCCIA can be utilized to detect and characterize CCI in sera, that are potentially broadly neutralizing, and serves as a useful tool for evaluating universal vaccine candidates targeting the HA stalk.

Novel multiplex assay platforms to detect influenza A hemagglutinin subtype-specific antibody responses for high-throughput and in-field applications.

BACKGROUND: Detections of influenza A subtype-specific antibody responses are often complicated by the presence of cross-reactive antibodies. We developed two novel multiplex platforms for antibody detection. The multiplexed magnetic fluorescence microsphere immunoassay (MAGPIX) is a high-throughput laboratory-based assay. Chembio Dual Path Platform (DPP) is a portable and rapid test that could be used in the field. METHODS: Twelve recombinant globular head domain hemagglutinin (GH HA1) antigens from A(H1N1)pdm09 (pH1N1), A(H2N2), A(H3N2), A(H5N1), A(H7N9), A(H9N2), A(H13N9), B/Victoria lineage, B/Yamagata lineage viruses, and protein A control were used. Human sera from U.S. residents either vaccinated (with H5N1 or pH1N1) or infected with pH1N1 influenza viruses and sera from live bird market workers in Bangladesh (BDPW) were evaluated. GH HA1 antigens and serum adsorption using full ectodomain recombinant hemagglutinins from A(pH1N1) and A(H3N2) were introduced into the platforms to reduce cross-reactivity. RESULTS: Serum adsorption reduced cross-reactivity to novel subtype HAs. Compared to traditional hemagglutination inhibition or microneutralization assays, when serum adsorption and the highest fold rise in signals were used to determine positivity, the correct subtype-specific responses were identified in 86%-100% of U.S. residents exposed to influenza antigens through vaccination or infection (N=49). For detection of H5N1-specific antibodies in sera collected from BDPW, H5 sensitivity was 100% (six of six) for MAGPIX, 83% (five of six) for DPP, H5 specificity was 100% (15/15), and cross-reactivity against other subtype was 0% (zero of six) for both platforms. CONCLUSION: MAGPIX and DPP platforms can be utilized for high-throughput and in-field detection of novel influenza virus infections.

Single-Cell Analysis of the Plasmablast Response to Vibrio cholerae Demonstrates Expansion of Cross-Reactive Memory B Cells.

We characterized the acute B cell response in adults with cholera by analyzing the repertoire, specificity, and functional characteristics of 138 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated from single-cell-sorted plasmablasts. We found that the cholera-induced responses were characterized by high levels of somatic hypermutation and large clonal expansions. A majority of the expansions targeted cholera toxin (CT) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Using a novel proteomics approach, we were able to identify sialidase as another major antigen targeted by the antibody response to Vibrio cholerae infection. Antitoxin MAbs targeted both the A and B subunits, and most were also potent neutralizers of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin. LPS-specific MAbs uniformly targeted the O-specific polysaccharide, with no detectable responses to either the core or the lipid moiety of LPS. Interestingly, the LPS-specific antibodies varied widely in serotype specificity and functional characteristics. One participant infected with the Ogawa serotype produced highly mutated LPS-specific antibodies that preferentially bound the previously circulating Inaba serotype. This demonstrates durable memory against a polysaccharide antigen presented at the mucosal surface and provides a mechanism for the long-term, partial heterotypic immunity seen following cholera. IMPORTANCE: Cholera is a diarrheal disease that results in significant mortality. While oral cholera vaccines are beneficial, they do not achieve equivalent protection compared to infection with Vibrio cholerae Although antibodies likely mediate protection, the mechanisms of immunity following cholera are poorly understood, and a detailed understanding of antibody responses to cholera is of significance for human health. In this study, we characterized the human response to cholera at the single-plasmablast, monoclonal antibody level. Although this approach has not been widely applied to the study of human bacterial infection, we were able to uncover the basis of cross-reactivity between different V. cholerae serotypes and the likely impact of prior enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli exposure on the response to cholera, as well as identify novel antigenic targets. In addition to improving our understanding of the repertoire and function of the antibody response to cholera in humans, this study has implications for future cholera vaccination efforts.