Impact of Pre-exposure History and Host Genetics on Antibody Avidity Following Norovirus Vaccination.

Background: Development of high avidity, broadly neutralizing antibodies (Abs) is a priority after vaccination against rapidly evolving, widely disseminated viruses like human norovirus. After vaccination with a multivalent GI.1 and GII.4c norovirus virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate adjuvanted with alum and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), blockade Ab titers peaked early, with no increase in titer following a second vaccine dose. Methods: Blockade Ab relative avidity was evaluated by measuring the slope of blockade Ab neutralization curves. Results: Blockade Ab avidity to the GI.1 vaccine component peaked at day 35 (7 days after dose 2). Avidities to heterotypic genogroup I VLPs were not sustained at day 35 after vaccination or GI.1 infection, as measured from archived sera. Only secretor-positive participants maintained high avidity blockade Ab to GI.1 at day 180. Avidity to the GII.4c vaccine component peaked at day 7, remained elevated through day 180, and was not secretor dependent. Avidity to an immunologically novel GII.4 strain VLP correlated with preexisting Ab titer to an ancestral strain Epitope A. Conclusions: Host genetics and pre-exposure history shape norovirus vaccine Ab responses, including blockade Ab avidity. Avidity of potentially neutralizing Ab may be an important metric for evaluating vaccine responses to highly penetrant viruses with cross-reactive serotypes.

Broad blockade antibody responses in human volunteers after immunization with a multivalent norovirus VLP candidate vaccine: immunological analyses from a phase I clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Human noroviruses (NoVs) are the primary cause of acute gastroenteritis and are characterized by antigenic variation between genogroups and genotypes and antigenic drift of strains within the predominant GII.4 genotype. In the context of this diversity, an effective NoV vaccine must elicit broadly protective immunity. We used an antibody (Ab) binding blockade assay to measure the potential cross-strain protection provided by a multivalent NoV virus-like particle (VLP) candidate vaccine in human volunteers. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Sera from ten human volunteers immunized with a multivalent NoV VLP vaccine (genotypes GI.1/GII.4) were analyzed for IgG and Ab blockade of VLP interaction with carbohydrate ligand, a potential correlate of protective immunity to NoV infection and illness. Immunization resulted in rapid rises in IgG and blockade Ab titers against both vaccine components and additional VLPs representing diverse strains and genotypes not represented in the vaccine. Importantly, vaccination induced blockade Ab to two novel GII.4 strains not in circulation at the time of vaccination or sample collection. GII.4 cross-reactive blockade Ab titers were more potent than responses against non-GII.4 VLPs, suggesting that previous exposure history to this dominant circulating genotype may impact the vaccine Ab response. Further, antigenic cartography indicated that vaccination preferentially activated preexisting Ab responses to epitopes associated with GII.4.1997. Study interpretations may be limited by the relevance of the surrogate neutralization assay and the number of immunized participants evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination with a multivalent NoV VLP vaccine induces a broadly blocking Ab response to multiple epitopes within vaccine and non-vaccine NoV strains and to novel antigenic variants not yet circulating at the time of vaccination. These data reveal new information about complex NoV immune responses to both natural exposure and to vaccination, and support the potential feasibility of an efficacious multivalent NoV VLP vaccine for future use in human populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01168401.

Intranasal vaccination with an adjuvanted Norwalk virus-like particle vaccine elicits antigen-specific B memory responses in human adult volunteers.

Noroviruses are the most frequent cause of acute gastroenteritis in humans of all ages. No vaccines are currently available. An intranasally delivered Norwalk (NV) virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine was recently shown to be well tolerated, immunogenic and to protect against infection in Phase 1 studies. Here, we examined B memory (B(M)) responses in volunteers who received the highest dosage levels of the NV-VLP vaccine (50 µg and 100 µg). We measured the frequency of NV-specific IgG and IgA-secreting B(M) cells in peripheral blood and the level of antibodies produced by these cells in culture. All subjects immunized with 100 µg of the NV-VLP vaccine and 90% of those who received 50 µg had significant IgA or IgG B(M) responses. The B(M) cell frequencies correlated with serum antibody levels and mucosally-primed antibody-secreting cell responses. This is the first demonstration of dose-dependent, functional B(M) responses in humans immunized intranasally with a NV-VLP vaccine.

Adjuvanted intranasal Norwalk virus-like particle vaccine elicits antibodies and antibody-secreting cells that express homing receptors for mucosal and peripheral lymphoid tissues.

BACKGROUND: Noroviruses cause significant morbidity and mortality from acute gastroenteritis in all age groups worldwide. METHODS: We conducted 2 phase 1 double-blind, controlled studies of a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine derived from norovirus GI.1 genotype adjuvanted with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) and the mucoadherent chitosan. Healthy subjects 18-49 years of age were randomized to 2 doses of intranasal Norwalk VLP vaccine or controls 21 days apart. Study 1 evaluated 5-, 15-, and 50-µg dosages of Norwalk antigen, and study 2 evaluated 50- and 100-µg dosages. Volunteers recorded symptoms for 7 days after dosing, and safety was followed up for 180 days. Blood samples were collected for serological profile, antibody secreting cells (ASCs), and analysis of ASC homing receptors. RESULTS: The most common symptoms were nasal stuffiness, discharge, and sneezing. No vaccine-related serious adverse events occurred. Norwalk VLP-specific immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A antibodies increased 4.8- and 9.1-fold, respectively, for the 100-µg dosage level. All subjects tested who received the 50- or 100-µg vaccine dose developed immunoglobulin A ASCs. These cells expressed molecules associated with homing to mucosal and peripheral lymphoid tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The intranasal monovalent adjuvanted Norwalk VLP vaccine was well tolerated and highly immunogenic and is a candidate for additional study.

Discovery of a potent nanoparticle P-selectin antagonist with anti-inflammatory effects in allergic airway disease.

The severity of allergic asthma is dependent, in part, on the intensity of peribronchial inflammation. P-selectin is known to play a role in the development of allergen-induced peribronchial inflammation and airway hyperreactivity. Selective inhibitors of P-selectin-mediated leukocyte endothelial-cell interactions may therefore attenuate the inflammatory processes associated with allergic airway disease. Novel P-selectin inhibitors were created using a polyvalent polymer nanoparticle capable of displaying multiple synthetic, low molecular weight ligands. By assembling a particle that presents an array of groups, which as monomers interact with only low affinity, we created a construct that binds extremely efficiently to P-selectin. The ligands acted as mimetics of the key binding elements responsible for the high-avidity adhesion of P-selectin to the physiologic ligand, PSGL-1. The inhibitors were initially evaluated using an in vitro shear assay system in which interactions between circulating cells and P-selectin-coated capillary tubes were measured. The nanoparticles were shown to preferentially bind to selectins expressed on activated endothelial cells. We subsequently demonstrated that nanoparticles displaying P-selectin blocking arrays were functionally active in vivo, significantly reducing allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity and peribronchial eosinophilic inflammation in a murine model of asthma.

Norovirus virus-like particle vaccines for the prevention of acute gastroenteritis.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are the most common cause of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. These highly infectious viruses were, until recently, commonly thought to cause a mild, self-limiting disease in healthy individuals, but increasing epidemiology shows that the incidence and severity of illness due to NoV infection is substantial and similar to diseases where immunization is widely recommended. Human NoV challenge studies have identified carbohydrate histo-blood group antigen expression as an important human susceptibility factor for many strains and correspondingly, that antibodies which block carbohydrate virus binding represent a potential correlate of protection against NoV infection and illness. Since human NoVs do not replicate in cell culture, there are numerous challenges to the development of a vaccine to prevent illness or infection. However, the development of NoV virus-like particles (VLPs) has enabled significant progress toward effective vaccine candidates designed to protect against multiple circulating NoV strains. Vaccination with NoV VLP vaccines has been shown to both induce antibodies that block virus-derived VLP carbohydrate binding and protect against homologous viral challenge in a human clinical study.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis binding to human surfactant proteins A and D, fibronectin, and small airway epithelial cells under shear conditions.

A crucial step in infection is the initial attachment of a pathogen to host cells or tissue. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved multiple strategies for establishing an infection within the host. The pulmonary microenvironment contains a complex milieu of pattern recognition molecules of the innate immune system that play a role in the primary response to inhaled pathogens. Encounters of M. tuberculosis with these recognition molecules likely influence the outcome of the bacillus-host interaction. Here we use a novel fluid shear assay to investigate the binding of M. tuberculosis to innate immune molecules that are produced by pulmonary epithelial cells and are thought to play a role in the lung innate immune response. Virulent and attenuated M. tuberculosis strains bound best to immobilized human fibronectin (FN) and surfactant protein A (SP-A) under this condition. Binding under fluid shear conditions was more consistent and significant compared to binding under static conditions. Soluble FN significantly increased the adherence of both virulent and attenuated M. tuberculosis strains to human primary small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) under fluid shear conditions. In contrast, SP-A and SP-D effects on bacterial adherence to SAEC differed between the two strains. The use of a fluid shear model to simulate physiological conditions within the lung and select for high-affinity binding interactions should prove useful for studies that investigate interactions between M. tuberculosis and host innate immune determinants.

Selection of protective epitopes for Brucella melitensis by DNA vaccination.

The Brucella melitensis 16M genome was examined for proteins in excess of 100 amino acids and for immunogenicity-associated genes. One subset of 32 annotated genes or open reading frames was identified, and each of these were cloned into the eukaryotic vector pcDNA3.1. Purified recombinant plasmids were used to intramuscularly (i.m.) immunize BALB/c mice. After challenge with B. melitensis 16M strain, two protective antigens were found: the periplasmic protein, bp26, and the chaperone protein, trigger factor (TF). Protective efficacy was confirmed with DNA vaccines for these two B. melitensis proteins and, when combined, protection against wild-type challenge was significantly enhanced. Both proteins were found to be immunogenic since elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies without a specific IgG subclass bias were induced subsequent to i.m. DNA immunization. Antigen-restimulation assays revealed that bp26 and TF stimulated gamma interferon and only bp26 induced interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-6 cytokines as measured by cytokine enzyme-linked immunospot assay. These collective results suggest that both bp26 and TF are excellent candidates for use in future vaccination studies against brucellosis.

Alpha(4)beta(7)/alpha(4)beta(1) dual integrin antagonists block alpha(4)beta(7)-dependent adhesion under shear flow.

The alpha(4) integrin, alpha(4)beta(7), plays an important role in recruiting circulating lymphocytes to the gastrointestinal tract, where its ligand mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) is preferentially expressed on high endothelial venules (HEVs). Dual antagonists of alpha(4)beta(1) and alpha(4)beta(7), N-(2,6-dichlorobenzoyl)-(L)-4-(2',6'-bis-methoxyphenyl)phenylalanine (TR14035) and N-(N-[(3,5-dichlorobenzene)sulfonyl]-2-(R)-methylpropyl)-(D)-phenylalanine (compound 1), were tested for their ability to block the binding of alpha(4)beta(7)-expressing cells to soluble ligand in suspension and under in vitro and in vivo shear flow. Compound 1 and TR14035 blocked the binding of human alpha(4)beta(7) to an (125)I-MAdCAM-Ig fusion protein with IC(50) values of 2.93 and 0.75 nM, respectively. Both compounds inhibited binding of soluble ligands to alpha(4)beta(1) or alpha(4)beta(7) on cells of human or rodent origin with similar potency. Under shear flow in vitro, TR14035 and compound 1 blocked binding of human alpha(4)beta(7)-expressing RPMI-8866 cells or murine mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes to MAdCAM-Ig with IC(50) values of 0.1 and 1 microM, respectively. Intravital microscopy was used to quantitate alpha(4)-dependent adhesion of fluorescent murine lymphocytes in Peyer's patch HEVs. When cells were prestimulated with 2 mM Mn(2+) to activate alpha(4)beta(7) binding to ligand, anti-alpha(4) monoclonal antibody (mAb) [10 mg/kg (mpk) i.v.] blocked adhesion by 95%, and anti-beta(1) mAb did not block adhesion, demonstrating that this interaction was dependent on alpha(4)beta(7). TR14035 blocked adhesion to HEVs [ED(50) of 0.01-0.1 mpk i.v.], and compound 1 blocked adhesion by 47% at 10 mpk i.v. Thus, alpha(4)beta(7)/alpha(4)beta(1) antagonists blocked alpha(4)beta(7)-dependent adhesion of lymphocytes to HEVs under both in vitro and in vivo shear flow.