Human Adaptation of Ebola Virus during the West African Outbreak.

The 2013-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) in West Africa was the largest recorded. It began following the cross-species transmission of EBOV from an animal reservoir, most likely bats, into humans, with phylogenetic analysis revealing the co-circulation of several viral lineages. We hypothesized that this prolonged human circulation led to genomic changes that increased viral transmissibility in humans. We generated a synthetic glycoprotein (GP) construct based on the earliest reported isolate and introduced amino acid substitutions that defined viral lineages. Mutant GPs were used to generate a panel of pseudoviruses, which were used to infect different human and bat cell lines. These data revealed that specific amino acid substitutions in the EBOV GP have increased tropism for human cells, while reducing tropism for bat cells. Such increased infectivity may have enhanced the ability of EBOV to transmit among humans and contributed to the wide geographic distribution of some viral lineages.

Polyvalent immunization elicits a synergistic broadly neutralizing immune response to hypervariable region 1 variants of hepatitis C virus.

A hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine is urgently needed. Vaccine development has been hindered by HCV's genetic diversity, particularly within the immunodominant hypervariable region 1 (HVR1). Here, we developed a strategy to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies to HVR1, which had previously been considered infeasible. We first applied a unique information theory-based measure of genetic distance to evaluate phenotypic relatedness between HVR1 variants. These distances were used to model the structure of HVR1's sequence space, which was found to have five major clusters. Variants from each cluster were used to immunize mice individually, and as a pentavalent mixture. Sera obtained following immunization neutralized every variant in a diverse HCVpp panel (n = 10), including those resistant to monovalent immunization, and at higher mean titers (1/ID50 = 435) than a glycoprotein E2 (1/ID50 = 205) vaccine. This synergistic immune response offers a unique approach to overcoming antigenic variability and may be applicable to other highly mutable viruses.

Recombinant H77C gpE1/gpE2 heterodimer elicits superior HCV cross-neutralisation than H77C gpE2 alone.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: An optimal HCV vaccine requires the induction of antibodies that neutralise the infectivity of many heterogenous viral isolates. In this study, we have focused on determining the optimal recombinant envelope glycoprotein component to elicit cross-neutralising antibodies against global HCV genotypes. We compared the immunoreactivity and antigenicity of the HCV genotype 1a strain H77C-derived envelope glycoprotein heterodimer gpE1/gpE2 with that of recombinant gpE2 alone. METHODS: Characterisation of the envelope glycoproteins was accomplished by determining their ability to bind to a panel of broadly cross-neutralising monoclonal antibodies. Immunogenicity was determined by testing the ability of vaccine antisera to neutralise the infectivity in vitro of a panel of pseudotyped HCV particles in which gpE1/gpE2 derived from representative isolates of the major global HCV genotypes were displayed. RESULTS: gpE1/gpE2 binds to more diverse broadly cross-neutralising antibodies than gpE2 alone and elicits a broader profile of cross-neutralising antibodies in animals, especially against more heterologous, non-1a genotypes. While not all heterologous HCV strains can be potently inhibited in vitro by gpE1/gpE2 antisera derived from a single HCV strain, the breadth of heterologous cross-neutralisation is shown to be substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Our work supports the inclusion of gpE1/gpE2 in an HCV vaccine in order to maximise the cross-neutralisation of heterogenous HCV isolates. Our data also offers future directions in formulating a cocktail of gpE1/gpE2 antigens from a small selection of HCV genotypes to further enhance cross-neutralisation of global HCV strains and hopefully advance the development of a globally effective HCV vaccine. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: An HCV vaccine is urgently required to prevent the high global incidence of HCV infection and disease. Since HCV is a highly heterogeneous virus, it is desirable for a vaccine to elicit antibodies that neutralise the infectivity of most global strains. To this end, we have compared the immunoreactivity and antigenicity of recombinant H77C E1E2 heterodimer with that of H77C E2 alone and show that the former exhibits more cross-neutralising epitopes and demonstrates a broader cross-neutralisation profile in vitro. In addition, our data suggests a way to further broaden cross-neutralisation using a combination of E1E2 antigens derived from a few different HCV clades. Our work is relevant for the development of an effective global HCV vaccine.

In vitro evolution predicts emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations with high affinity for ACE2 and cross-species binding.

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants are creating major challenges in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Being able to predict mutations that could arise in SARS-CoV-2 leading to increased transmissibility or immune evasion would be extremely valuable in development of broad-acting therapeutics and vaccines, and prioritising viral monitoring and containment. Here we use in vitro evolution to seek mutations in SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) that would substantially increase binding to ACE2. We find a double mutation, S477N and Q498H, that increases affinity of RBD for ACE2 by 6.5-fold. This affinity gain is largely driven by the Q498H mutation. We determine the structure of the mutant-RBD:ACE2 complex by cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the mechanism for increased affinity. Addition of Q498H to SARS-CoV-2 RBD variants is found to boost binding affinity of the variants for human ACE2 and confer a new ability to bind rat ACE2 with high affinity. Surprisingly however, in the presence of the common N501Y mutation, Q498H inhibits binding, due to a clash between H498 and Y501 side chains. To achieve an intermolecular bonding network, affinity gain and cross-species binding similar to Q498H alone, RBD variants with the N501Y mutation must acquire instead the related Q498R mutation. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 RBD can access large affinity gains and cross-species binding via two alternative mutational routes involving Q498, with route selection determined by whether a variant already has the N501Y mutation. These mutations are now appearing in emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants where they have the potential to influence human-to-human and cross-species transmission.

An Antigenically Diverse, Representative Panel of Envelope Glycoproteins for Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine Development.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Development of a prophylactic hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine will require accurate and reproducible measurement of neutralizing breadth of vaccine-induced antibodies. Currently available HCV panels may not adequately represent the genetic and antigenic diversity of circulating HCV strains, and the lack of standardization of these panels makes it difficult to compare neutralization results obtained in different studies. Here, we describe the selection and validation of a genetically and antigenically diverse reference panel of 15 HCV pseudoparticles (HCVpps) for neutralization assays. METHODS: We chose 75 envelope (E1E2) clones to maximize representation of natural polymorphisms observed in circulating HCV isolates, and 65 of these clones generated functional HCVpps. Neutralization sensitivity of these HCVpps varied widely. HCVpps clustered into 15 distinct groups based on patterns of relative sensitivity to 7 broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. We used these data to select a final panel of 15 antigenically representative HCVpps. RESULTS: Both the 65 and 15 HCVpp panels span 4 tiers of neutralization sensitivity, and neutralizing breadth measurements for 7 broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies were nearly equivalent using either panel. Differences in neutralization sensitivity between HCVpps were independent of genetic distances between E1E2 clones. CONCLUSIONS: Neutralizing breadth of HCV antibodies should be defined using viruses spanning multiple tiers of neutralization sensitivity rather than panels selected solely for genetic diversity. We propose that this multitier reference panel could be adopted as a standard for the measurement of neutralizing antibody potency and breadth, facilitating meaningful comparisons of neutralization results from vaccine studies in different laboratories.

Hepatitis C subtyping assay failure in UK patients born in sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for global treatment and elimination.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The newly developed direct-acting antivirals have revolutionized the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), with cure rates as high as 98% in some cohorts. Although genome sequencing has demonstrated that some subtypes of HCV naturally harbor drug resistance associated substitutions (RAS), these are often overlooked as "rarities." Furthermore, commercial subtyping assays and associated epidemiological findings are skewed towards Western cohorts and whole-genome sequencing can be problematic to deploy without significant infrastructure and training support. We thus aimed to develop a simple, robust and accurate HCV subtyping pipeline, to optimize and streamline molecular detection and sequence-based typing of diverse RAS-containing subtypes. METHODS: HCV serum derived from 146 individuals, whose likely source of infection was from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was investigated with a novel panel of single round polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting NS5B and NS5A genomic regions. Virus subtype assignments were determined by pairwise-distance analysis and compared to both diagnostic laboratory assignments and free-to-use online typing tools. RESULTS: Partial NS5A and NS5B sequences were respectively obtained from 131 to 135 HCV-positive patients born in 19 different countries from SSA but attending clinics in the UK. We determined that routine clinical diagnostic methods incorrectly subtyped 59.0% of samples, with a further 6.8% incorrectly genotyped. Of five commonly used online tools, Geno2Pheno performed most effectively in determining a subtype in agreement with pairwise distance analysis. CONCLUSION: This study provides a simple low-cost pathway to accurately subtype in SSA, guide regional therapeutic choice and assist global surveillance and elimination initiatives.

Scavenger receptor class B type I genetic variants associated with disease severity in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Analysis of host genetic polymorphisms is an increasingly important tool for understanding and predicting pathogenesis and treatment response of viral diseases. The gene locus of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), encoding a cell entry factor and receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV), contains several genetic polymorphisms. We applied a probe extension assay to determine the frequency of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the SR-BI gene locus in 374 individuals with history of HCV infection. In addition, SR-BI messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were analyzed in liver biopsy specimens of chronically infected HCV subjects. The rs5888 variant allele T was present at a higher frequency in subjects with advanced fibrosis (χ2 , p = 0.016) and after adjusting for age, duration of infection and alcohol intake as confounding factors. Haplotype analysis of SNP frequencies showed that a haplotype consisting of rs61932577 variant allele C and rs5888 variant allele T was associated with an increased risk of advanced liver fibrosis (defined by an Ishak score 4-6) (adjusted odds ratio 2.81; 95% confidence interval 1.06-7.46. p = 0.038). Carriers of the rs5888 variant allele T displayed reduced SR-BI mRNA expression in liver biopsy specimens. In conclusion the rs5888 polymorphism variant is associated with decreased SR-BI expression and an increased risk of development of advanced fibrosis in chronic HCV infection. These findings provide further evidence for a role of SR-BI in HCV pathogenesis and provides a genetic marker for prediction of those infected individuals at greater risk of developing severe disease.

The Impact of Real-Time Whole-Genome Sequencing in Controlling Healthcare-Associated SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks.

Nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections have severely affected bed capacity and patient flow. We utilized whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify outbreaks and focus infection control resources and intervention during the United Kingdom's second pandemic wave in late 2020. Phylogenetic analysis of WGS and epidemiological data pinpointed an initial transmission event to an admission ward, with immediate prior community infection linkage documented. High incidence of asymptomatic staff infection with genetically identical viral sequences was also observed, which may have contributed to the propagation of the outbreak. WGS allowed timely nosocomial transmission intervention measures, including admissions ward point-of-care testing and introduction of portable HEPA14 filters. Conversely, WGS excluded nosocomial transmission in 2 instances with temporospatial linkage, conserving time and resources. In summary, WGS significantly enhanced understanding of SARS-CoV-2 clusters in a hospital setting, both identifying high-risk areas and conversely validating existing control measures in other units, maintaining clinical service overall.

Relationship Between Anxiety, Depression, and Susceptibility to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Proof of Concept.

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors can influence susceptibility to viral infections. We examined whether such influences are evident in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. METHODS: Participants (n = 102) completed measures of anxiety, depression, positive mood, and loneliness and provided a blood sample for the measurement of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 was significantly negatively associated with anxiety and depression. The model remained significant after adjustment for age and gender, although anxiety and depression were no longer significant independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings offer early support for the hypothesis that psychological factors may influence susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Real-World Outcomes of Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment and Retreatment in United Kingdom-Based Patients Infected With Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes/Subtypes Endemic in Africa.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 71 million individuals, mostly residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) give high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) in high-income countries where a restricted range of HCV genotypes/subtypes circulate. METHODS: We studied United Kingdom-resident patients born in Africa to examine DAA effectiveness in LMICs where there is far greater breadth of HCV genotypes/subtypes. Viral genome sequences were determined from 233 patients. RESULTS: Full-length viral genomic sequences for 26 known subtypes and 5 previously unidentified isolates covering 5 HCV genotypes were determined. From 149 patients who received DAA treatment/retreatment, the overall SVR was 93%. Treatment failure was associated primarily with 2 subtypes, gt1l and gt4r, using sofosbuvir/ledipasvir. These subtypes contain natural resistance-associated variants that likely contribute to poor efficacy with this drug combination. Treatment failure was also significantly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: DAA combinations give high SVR rates despite the high HCV diversity across the African continent except for subtypes gt1l and gt4r, which respond poorly to sofosbuvir/ledipasvir. These subtypes are widely distributed across Western, Central, and Eastern Africa. Thus, in circumstances where accurate genotyping is absent, ledipasvir and its generic compounds should not be considered as a recommended treatment option.

Optimization of the pseudoparticle system for standardized assessments of neutralizing antibodies against hepatitis C virus.

A better understanding of the antibody response during natural infection and the effect on disease progression and reinfection is necessary for the development of a protective hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine. The HCV pseudoparticle (HCVpp) system enables the study of viral entry and inhibition by antibody neutralization. A robust and comparable neutralization assay is crucial for the development and evaluation of experimental vaccines.With the aim of optimizing the HCVpp-murine leukaemia virus (MLV) system, we tested the neutralization of HCVpp-harbouring E1E2 from 21 HCV isolates representing 6 different genotypes by several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). HCVpps are generated by expressing functional envelope glycoproteins (E1E2) onto pseudoparticles derived from env-deleted MLV. Adjustments of E1E2, gag-pol and luciferase plasmid ratios resulted in increased yields for most HCVpps and recovery of one non-infectious HCVpp. We simplified and improved the protocol to achieve higher signal/noise ratios and minimized the amount of HCVpps and mAbs needed for the detection of neutralization. Using our optimized protocol, we demonstrated comparable results to previously reported data with both diluted and freeze-thawed HCVpps.In conclusion, we successfully established a simplified and reproducible HCVpp neutralization protocol for studying a wide range of HCV variants. This simplified protocol provides highly consistent results and could be easily adopted by others to evaluate precious biological material. This will contribute to a better understanding of the antibody response during natural infection and help evaluate experimental HCV vaccines.

Immunogenicity of a new gorilla adenovirus vaccine candidate for COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the emergent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) threatens global public health, and there is an urgent need to develop safe and effective vaccines. Here, we report the generation and the preclinical evaluation of a novel replication-defective gorilla adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding the pre-fusion stabilized Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2. We show that our vaccine candidate, GRAd-COV2, is highly immunogenic both in mice and macaques, eliciting both functional antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection and block Spike protein binding to the ACE2 receptor, and a robust, T helper (Th)1-dominated cellular response. We show here that the pre-fusion stabilized Spike antigen is superior to the wild type in inducing ACE2-interfering, SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies. To face the unprecedented need for vaccine manufacturing at a massive scale, different GRAd genome deletions were compared to select the vector backbone showing the highest productivity in stirred tank bioreactors. This preliminary dataset identified GRAd-COV2 as a potential COVID-19 vaccine candidate, supporting the translation of the GRAd-COV2 vaccine in a currently ongoing phase I clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04528641).

Retrospective screening of routine respiratory samples revealed undetected community transmission and missed intervention opportunities for SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom.

In the early phases of the SARS coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, testing focused on individuals fitting a strict case definition involving a limited set of symptoms together with an identified epidemiological risk, such as contact with an infected individual or travel to a high-risk area. To assess whether this impaired our ability to detect and control early introductions of the virus into the UK, we PCR-tested archival specimens collected on admission to a large UK teaching hospital who retrospectively were identified as having a clinical presentation compatible with COVID-19. In addition, we screened available archival specimens submitted for respiratory virus diagnosis, and dating back to early January 2020, for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Our data provides evidence for widespread community circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in early February 2020 and into March that was undetected at the time due to restrictive case definitions informing testing policy. Genome sequence data showed that many of these early cases were infected with a distinct lineage of the virus. Sequences obtained from the first officially recorded case in Nottinghamshire - a traveller returning from Daegu, South Korea - also clustered with these early UK sequences suggesting acquisition of the virus occurred in the UK and not Daegu. Analysis of a larger sample of sequences obtained in the Nottinghamshire area revealed multiple viral introductions, mainly in late February and through March. These data highlight the importance of timely and extensive community testing to prevent future widespread transmission of the virus.

Structure-Based Design of Hepatitis C Virus E2 Glycoprotein Improves Serum Binding and Cross-Neutralization.

An effective vaccine for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major unmet need, and it requires an antigen that elicits immune responses to key conserved epitopes. Based on structures of antibodies targeting HCV envelope glycoprotein E2, we designed immunogens to modulate the structure and dynamics of E2 and favor induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) in the context of a vaccine. These designs include a point mutation in a key conserved antigenic site to stabilize its conformation, as well as redesigns of an immunogenic region to add a new N-glycosylation site and mask it from antibody binding. Designs were experimentally characterized for binding to a panel of human monoclonal antibodies (HMAbs) and the coreceptor CD81 to confirm preservation of epitope structure and preferred antigenicity profile. Selected E2 designs were tested for immunogenicity in mice, with and without hypervariable region 1, which is an immunogenic region associated with viral escape. One of these designs showed improvement in polyclonal immune serum binding to HCV pseudoparticles and neutralization of isolates associated with antibody resistance. These results indicate that antigen optimization through structure-based design of the envelope glycoproteins is a promising route to an effective vaccine for HCV.IMPORTANCE Hepatitis C virus infects approximately 1% of the world's population, and no vaccine is currently available. Due to the high variability of HCV and its ability to actively escape the immune response, a goal of HCV vaccine design is to induce neutralizing antibodies that target conserved epitopes. Here, we performed structure-based design of several epitopes of the HCV E2 envelope glycoprotein to engineer its antigenic properties. Designs were tested in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating alteration of the E2 antigenic profile in several cases, and one design led to improvement of cross-neutralization of heterologous viruses. This represents a proof of concept that rational engineering of HCV envelope glycoproteins can be used to modulate E2 antigenicity and optimize a vaccine for this challenging viral target.

Antigenicity and Immunogenicity of Differentially Glycosylated Hepatitis C Virus E2 Envelope Proteins Expressed in Mammalian and Insect Cells.

The development of a prophylactic vaccine for hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a global health challenge. Cumulative evidence supports the importance of antibodies targeting the HCV E2 envelope glycoprotein to facilitate viral clearance. However, a significant challenge for a B cell-based vaccine is focusing the immune response on conserved E2 epitopes capable of eliciting neutralizing antibodies not associated with viral escape. We hypothesized that glycosylation might influence the antigenicity and immunogenicity of E2. Accordingly, we performed head-to-head molecular, antigenic, and immunogenic comparisons of soluble E2 (sE2) produced in (i) mammalian (HEK293) cells, which confer mostly complex- and high-mannose-type glycans; and (ii) insect (Sf9) cells, which impart mainly paucimannose-type glycans. Mass spectrometry demonstrated that all 11 predicted N-glycosylation sites were utilized in both HEK293- and Sf9-derived sE2, but that N-glycans in insect sE2 were on average smaller and less complex. Both proteins bound CD81 and were recognized by conformation-dependent antibodies. Mouse immunogenicity studies revealed that similar polyclonal antibody responses were generated against antigenic domains A to E of E2. Although neutralizing antibody titers showed that Sf9-derived sE2 induced moderately stronger responses than did HEK293-derived sE2 against the homologous HCV H77c isolate, the two proteins elicited comparable neutralization titers against heterologous isolates. Given that global alteration of HCV E2 glycosylation by expression in different hosts did not appreciably affect antigenicity or overall immunogenicity, a more productive approach to increasing the antibody response to neutralizing epitopes may be complete deletion, rather than just modification, of specific N-glycans proximal to these epitopes.IMPORTANCE The development of a vaccine for hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a global health challenge. A major challenge for vaccine development is focusing the immune response on conserved regions of the HCV envelope protein, E2, capable of eliciting neutralizing antibodies. Modification of E2 by glycosylation might influence the immunogenicity of E2. Accordingly, we performed molecular and immunogenic comparisons of E2 produced in mammalian and insect cells. Mass spectrometry demonstrated that the predicted glycosylation sites were utilized in both mammalian and insect cell E2, although the glycan types in insect cell E2 were smaller and less complex. Mouse immunogenicity studies revealed similar polyclonal antibody responses. However, insect cell E2 induced stronger neutralizing antibody responses against the homologous isolate used in the vaccine, albeit the two proteins elicited comparable neutralization titers against heterologous isolates. A more productive approach for vaccine development may be complete deletion of specific glycans in the E2 protein.

Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Proteins Mediate Viral Evasion in Acute and Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Although adaptive immune responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have been studied in great detail, the role of innate immunity in protection against HCV infection and immune evasion is only partially understood. Interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are innate effector proteins restricting host cell entry of many enveloped viruses, including HCV. However, the clinical impact of IFITMs on HCV immune escape remains to be determined. Here, we show that IFITMs promote viral escape from the neutralizing antibody (nAb) response in clinical cohorts of HCV-infected patients. Using pseudoparticles bearing HCV envelope proteins from acutely infected patients, we show that HCV variants isolated preseroconversion are more sensitive to the antiviral activity of IFITMs than variants from patients isolated during chronic infection postseroconversion. Furthermore, HCV variants escaping nAb responses during liver transplantation exhibited a significantly higher resistance to IFITMs than variants that were eliminated posttransplantation. Gain-of-function and mechanistic studies revealed that IFITMs markedly enhance the antiviral activity of nAbs and suggest a cooperative effect of human monoclonal antibodies and IFITMs for antibody-mediated neutralization driving the selection pressure in viral evasion. Perturbation studies with the IFITM antagonist amphotericin B revealed that modulation of membrane properties by IFITM proteins is responsible for the IFITM-mediated blockade of viral entry and enhancement of antibody-mediated neutralization. Conclusion: Our results indicate IFITM proteins as drivers of viral immune escape and antibody-mediated HCV neutralization in acute and chronic HCV infection. These findings are of clinical relevance for the design of urgently needed HCV B-cell vaccines and might help to increase the efficacy of future vaccine candidates.

Role of HVR1 sequence similarity in the cross-genotypic neutralization of HCV.

Despite available treatments, a prophylactic HCV vaccine is needed to achieve elimination targets. HCV vaccine development has faltered largely because the extreme diversity of the virus limits the protective breadth of vaccine elicited antibodies. It is believed that the principle neutralizing epitope in natural infection, HVR1, which is the most variable epitope in HCV, mediates humoral immune escape. So far, efforts to circumvent HVR1 interference in the induction and function of conserved targeting Ab have failed. Efforts to understand factors contributing to cross-neutralization of HVR1 variants have also been limited. Here, following mouse immunizations with two patient-derived HVR1 peptides, we observe cross-genotype neutralization of variants differing at 15/21 positions. Surprisingly, sequence similarity was not associated with cross-neutralization. It appeared neutralization sensitivity was an intrinsic feature of each variant, rather than emergent from the immunogen specific Ab response. These findings provide novel insight into HVR1-mediated immune evasion, with important implications for HCV vaccine design.

Cross-genotype AR3-specific neutralizing antibodies confer long-term protection in injecting drug users after HCV clearance.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: In order to design an effective vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, it is necessary to understand immune protection. A number of broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies have been isolated from B cells of HCV-infected patients. However, it remains unclear whether B cells producing such antibodies contribute to HCV clearance and long-term immune protection against HCV. METHODS: We analysed the B cell repertoire of 13 injecting drug users from the Amsterdam Cohort Study, who were followed up for a median of 17.5 years after primary infection. Individuals were classified into 2 groups based on the outcome of HCV infection: 5 who became chronically infected either after primary infection or after reinfection, and 8 who were HCV RNA negative following spontaneous clearance of ≥1 HCV infection(s). From each individual, 10,000 CD27+IgG+B cells, collected 0.75 year after HCV infection, were cultured to characterize the antibody repertoire. RESULTS: Using a multiplex flow cytometry-based assay to study the antibody binding to E1E2 from genotype 1 to 6, we found that a high frequency of cross-genotype antibodies was associated with spontaneous clearance of 1 or multiple infections (p = 0.03). Epitope specificity of these cross-genotype antibodies was determined by alanine mutant scanning in 4 individuals who were HCV RNA negative following spontaneous clearance of 1 or multiple infections. Interestingly, the cross-genotype antibodies were mainly antigenic region 3 (AR3)-specific and showed cross-neutralizing activity against HCV. In addition to AR3 antibodies, 3 individuals developed antibodies recognizing antigenic region 4, of which 1 monoclonal antibody showed cross-neutralizing capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data suggest that a strong B cell response producing cross-genotype and neutralizing antibodies, especially targeting AR3, contributes to HCV clearance and long-term immune protection against HCV. LAY SUMMARY: Although effective treatments against hepatitis C virus (HCV) are available, 500,000 people die from liver disease caused by HCV each year and approximately 1.75 million people are newly infected. This could be prevented by a vaccine. To design a vaccine against HCV, more insight into the role of antibodies in the protection against HCV infection is needed. In a cohort of injecting drug users, we found that antibodies interfering with virus cell entry, and recognizing multiple HCV genotypes, conferred long-term protection against chronic HCV infection.

Trichodysplasia Spinulosa Polyomavirus in Respiratory Tract of Immunocompromised Child.

Trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus causes trichodysplasia spinulosa, a skin infection, in immunocompromised persons, but the virus is rarely detected in respiratory samples. Using PCR, we detected persistent virus in respiratory and skin samples from an immunocompromised boy with respiratory signs but no characteristic skin spicules. This virus may play a role in respiratory illness.

Broad neutralization of hepatitis C virus-resistant variants by Civacir hepatitis C immunoglobulin.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced end-stage liver disease is the major indication for liver transplantation (LT). However, reinfection of the liver graft is still common, especially in patients with detectable viral load at the time of LT. Limited data are available on direct-acting antivirals in the transplant setting for prevention of graft infection. The human hepatitis C immunoglobulin (HCIG) Civacir is an investigational drug that is currently being developed in an ongoing phase 3 clinical trial assessing its safety and efficacy at preventing HCV recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) in the United States. Using well-characterized patient-derived HCV variants selected during LT, we studied the molecular mechanism of action of Civacir. Inhibition of HCV infection was studied using infectious HCV models including HCV pseudoparticles (HCVpp) and cell culture-derived HCV (HCVcc) containing patient-derived viral envelope glycoproteins from 22 HCV variants isolated from patients before and after LT. The human hepatitis C immune globulin Civacir is an investigational drug that is currently being developed in an ongoing phase 3 clinical trial assessing safety and efficacy to prevent HCV recurrence after LT in the United States. Using well-characterized patient-derived HCV variants selected during LT, we studied the molecular mechanism of action of Civacir. Inhibition of HCV infection was studied using infectious HCV models including HCV pseudoparticles and cell culture-derived HCV containing patient-derived viral envelope glycoproteins from 22 HCV variants isolated from patients before and after liver transplantation. Additionally, we studied neutralization of different HCV genotypes and of direct-acting antiviral-resistant viruses. Our results indicate that Civacir potently, broadly, and dose-dependently neutralizes all tested patient variants in HCV pseudoparticles and cell culture-derived HCV assays including variants displaying resistance to host neutralizing antibodies and antiviral monoclonal antibodies. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations were independent of the phenotype of the viral variant, indicating that virus neutralization by Civacir is not affected by viral selection. Furthermore, Civacir is equally active against tested direct-acting antiviral-resistant HCV isolates in cell culture. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results demonstrate broad neutralizing activity of Civacir against resistant viruses, likely due to synergy between anti-HCV antibodies derived from different plasma donors, and support its further clinical development for prevention of liver graft infection. (Hepatology 2016;64:1495-1506).