Defining the specificity and function of a human neutralizing antibody for Hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a hepadnavirus that is the principal pathogen underlying viral liver disease in human populations. In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of a fully human monoclonal antibody for HBV. This HuMab was isolated by a combinatorial screen of the memory B-cell repertoire from an acute/recovered HBV-infected patient. Lead candidate selection was based upon strong binding and neutralizing activity for live HBV. We provide a detailed biochemical/biophysical, and subclass characterization of its specificity and affinity against all of the principal HBV genotypes combined with a functional analysis of its in vitro activity. We also demonstrate its potential as a prophylaxis/therapy in vivo using human liver chimeric mouse models for HBV infection. These data have important implications for our understanding of natural human immunity to HBV and suggest that this potentially represents a new antibody-based anti-viral candidate for prophylaxis and/or therapy for HBV infection.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Subviral Particles as Protective Vaccines and Vaccine Platforms.

: Hepatitis B remains one of the major global health problems more than 40 years after the identification of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) as the causative agent. A critical turning point in combating this virus was the development of a preventative vaccine composed of the HBV surface (envelope) protein (HBsAg) to reduce the risk of new infections. The isolation of HBsAg sub-viral particles (SVPs) from the blood of asymptomatic HBV carriers as antigens for the first-generation vaccines, followed by the development of recombinant HBsAg SVPs produced in yeast as the antigenic components of the second-generation vaccines, represent landmark advancements in biotechnology and medicine. The ability of the HBsAg SVPs to accept and present foreign antigenic sequences provides the basis of a chimeric particulate delivery platform, and resulted in the development of a vaccine against malaria (RTS,S/AS01, MosquirixTM), and various preclinical vaccine candidates to overcome infectious diseases for which there are no effective vaccines. Biomedical modifications of the HBsAg subunits allowed the identification of strategies to enhance the HBsAg SVP immunogenicity to build potent vaccines for preventative and possibly therapeutic applications. The review provides an overview of the formation and assembly of the HBsAg SVPs and highlights the utilization of the particles in key effective vaccines.

Immunizations with chimeric hepatitis B virus-like particles to induce potential anti-hepatitis C virus neutralizing antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly immunogenic and proven to induce protective immunity. The small surface antigen (HBsAg-S) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) self-assembles into VLPs and its use as a vaccine results in protective antiviral immunity against HBV infections. Chimeric HBsAg-S proteins carrying foreign epitopes allow particle formation and have the ability to induce anti-foreign humoral and cellular immune responses. METHODS/RESULTS: The insertion of the hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) sequence derived from the envelope protein 2 (E2) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) into the major antigenic site of HBsAg-S ('a'-determinant) resulted in the formation of highly immunogenic VLPs that retained the antigenicity of the inserted HVR1 sequence. BALB/c mice were immunized with chimeric VLPs, which resulted in antisera with anti-HCV activity. The antisera were able to immunoprecipitate native HCV envelope complexes (E1E2) containing homologous or heterologous HVR1 sequences. HCV E1E2 pseudotyped HIV-1 particles (HCVpp) were used to measure entry into HuH-7 target cells in the presence or absence of antisera that were raised against chimeric VLPs. Anti-HVR1 VLP sera interfered with entry of entry-competent HCVpps containing either homologous or heterologous HVR1 sequences. Also, immunizations with chimeric VLPs induced antisurface antigen (HBsAg) antibodies, indicating that HBV-specific antigenicity and immunogenicity of the 'a'-determinant region is retained. CONCLUSIONS: A multivalent vaccine against different pathogens based on the HBsAg delivery platform should be possible. We hypothesize that custom design of VLPs with an appropriate set of HCV-neutralizing epitopes will induce antibodies that would serve to decrease the viral load at the initial infecting inoculum.

Delivery of a foreign epitope by sharing amino acid residues with the carrier matrix.

A broad range of structural viral proteins has the ability to assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs). Under the condition that modified subunits are still competent to assemble into VLPs, they are epitope delivery platforms suitable for vaccination purposes. The insertion of foreign sequences can be detrimental for the formation of chimeric VLPs as a result of misfolded subunit proteins. Hence, a strategy was adopted to screen for locations allowing the use of shared residues between the wildtype subunit sequence and the foreign insert. The insertion of a cysteine-containing sequence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope protein 2 (E2) without adding an additional cysteine residue retained the ability of recombinant small hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg-S) to form secretion competent VLPs. A cysteine residue shared by the insert and the template protein avoided the formation of non-native disulfide bonds, and allowed the formation of VLPs. The chimeric HBsAg-S VLPs were similar to wildtype VLPs in density exposing the inserted foreign epitope and being immunogenic. Overall, the use of shared sequences between the insert and the subunit will facilitate the design of chimeric VLPs carrying multiple epitopes.

Chimeric virus-like particles for the delivery of an inserted conserved influenza A-specific CTL epitope.

The small hepatitis B virus surface antigens (HBsAg-S) have the ability to self-assemble with host-derived lipids into empty non-infectious virus-like particles (VLPs). HBsAg-S VLPs are the sole component of the licensed hepatitis B vaccine, and they are a useful delivery platform for foreign epitopes. To develop VLPs capable of transporting foreign cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, HBsAg-S specific CTL epitopes at various sites were substituted with a conserved CTL epitope derived from the influenza matrix protein. Depending on the insertion site, the introduction of the MHC class I A2.1-restricted influenza epitope was compatible with the secretion competence of HBsAg-S indicating that chimeric VLPs were assembled. Immunizations of transgenic HHDII mice with chimeric VLPs induced anti-influenza CTL responses proving that the inserted foreign epitope can be correctly processed and cross-presented. Chimeric VLPs in the absence of adjuvant were able to induce memory T cell responses, which could be recalled by influenza virus infections in the mouse model system. The ability of chimeric HBsAg-S VLPs to induce anti-foreign CTL responses and also with the proven ability to induce humoral immune responses constitute a highly versatile platform for the delivery of selected multiple epitopes to target disease associated infectious agents.

Hepatitis B surface antigen vector delivers protective cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses to disease-relevant foreign epitopes.

Although hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) per se is highly immunogenic, its use as a vector for the delivery of foreign cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes has met with little success because of constraints on HBsAg stability and secretion imposed by the insertion of foreign sequence into critical hydrophobic/amphipathic regions. Using a strategy entailing deletion of DNA encoding HBsAg-specific CTL epitopes and replacement with DNA encoding foreign CTL epitopes, we have derived chimeric HBsAg DNA immunogens which elicited effector and memory CTL responses in vitro, and pathogen- and tumor-protective responses in vivo, when the chimeric HBsAg DNAs were used to immunize mice. We further show that HBsAg DNA recombinant for both respiratory syncytial virus and human papillomavirus CTL epitopes elicited simultaneous responses to both pathogens. These data demonstrate the efficacy of HBsAg DNA as a vector for the delivery of disease-relevant protective CTL responses. They also suggest the applicability of the approach of deriving chimeric HBsAg DNA immunogens simultaneously encoding protective CTL epitopes for multiple diseases. The DNAs we tested formed chimeric HBsAg virus-like particles (VLPs). Thus, our results have implications for the development of vaccination strategies using either chimeric HBsAg DNA or VLP vaccines. HBsAg is the globally administered vaccine for hepatitis B virus infection, inviting its usage as a vector for the delivery of immunogens from other diseases.

Characterization of nonconventional hepatitis B viruses lacking the core promoter.

The core gene (C-gene) promoter and regulatory sequences play a central role in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle. They are essential for the synthesis of the pregenomic and precore mRNA. The pregenomic RNA is the template required for replication and also the template for the synthesis of the core protein and polymerase. Here, we report the in vivo existence and functional characterization of HBV variants that lack the C-gene promoter region and the regulatory sequences located therein. HBV promoter fragments were isolated by PCR from sera of chronic carriers and characterized. Truncated promoter elements were identified, and then tested in the context of wild-type genomes in the HuH-7 cell line. The expression of the recombinant HBV genome resulted in the synthesis of surface proteins, and low level of core protein as well as a transcript pattern similar to, but smaller in size to wild-type virus. The recombinant HBV genome with the truncated promoter region produced pregenomic RNA-like transcripts. These transcripts were encapsidated and reverse transcribed when complemented by sufficient core and polymerase protein. These date provide an explanation as to why such deletion mutants of HBV can be produced at all, they highlight the functional potentials of viral sequences activated by mutations and may be of relevance for viral evolution and persistence.