Conversion of monoclonal IgG to dimeric and secretory IgA restores neutralizing ability and prevents infection of Omicron lineages.

The emergence of Omicron lineages and descendent subvariants continues to present a severe threat to the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. We have previously suggested that an insufficient mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response induced by the mRNA vaccines is associated with a surge in breakthrough infections. Here, we further show that the intramuscular mRNA and/or inactivated vaccines cannot sufficiently boost the mucosal secretory IgA response in uninfected individuals, particularly against the Omicron variant. We thus engineered and characterized recombinant monomeric, dimeric, and secretory IgA1 antibodies derived from four neutralizing IgG monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 01A05, rmAb23, DXP-604, and XG014) targeting the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. Compared to their parental IgG antibodies, dimeric and secretory IgA1 antibodies showed a higher neutralizing activity against different variants of concern (VOCs), in part due to an increased avidity. Importantly, the dimeric or secretory IgA1 form of the DXP-604 antibody significantly outperformed its parental IgG antibody, and neutralized the Omicron lineages BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/5 with a 25- to 75-fold increase in potency. In human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) transgenic mice, a single intranasal dose of the dimeric IgA DXP-604 conferred prophylactic and therapeutic protection against Omicron BA.5. Thus, dimeric or secretory IgA delivered by nasal administration may potentially be exploited for the treatment and prevention of Omicron infection, thereby providing an alternative tool for combating immune evasion by the current circulating subvariants and, potentially, future VOCs.

Secreted phospholipase PLA2G2E contributes to regulation of T cell immune response against influenza virus infection.

The involvement of secreted phospholipase A2s in respiratory diseases, such as asthma and respiratory viral infections, is well-established. However, the specific role of secreted phospholipase A2 group IIE (PLA2G2E) during influenza virus infection remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the role of PLA2G2E during H1N1 influenza virus infection using a targeted mouse model lacking Pla2g2e gene (Pla2g2e-/-). Our findings demonstrated that Pla2g2e-/- mice had significantly lower survival rates and higher viral loads in lungs compared to wild-type mice following influenza virus infection. While Pla2g2e-/- mice displayed comparable innate and humoral immune responses to influenza virus challenge, the animals showed impaired influenza-specific cellular immunity and reduced T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This indicates that PLA2G2E is involved in regulating specific T cell responses during influenza virus infection. Furthermore, transgenic mice expressing the human PLA2G2E gene exhibited resistance to influenza virus infection along with enhanced influenza-specific cellular immunity and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Pla2g2e deficiency resulted in perturbation of lipid mediators in the lung and T cells, potentially contributing to its impact on the anti-influenza immune response. Taken together, these findings suggest that targeting PLA2G2E could hold potential as a therapeutic strategy for managing influenza virus infections.IMPORTANCEThe influenza virus is a highly transmissible respiratory pathogen that continues to pose a significant public health concern. It effectively evades humoral immune protection conferred by vaccines and natural infection due to its continuous viral evolution through the genetic processes of antigenic drift and shift. Recognition of conserved non-mutable viral epitopes by T cells may provide broad immunity against influenza virus. In this study, we have demonstrated that phospholipase A2 group IIE (PLA2G2E) plays a crucial role in protecting against influenza virus infection through the regulation of T cell responses, while not affecting innate and humoral immune responses. Targeting PLA2G2E could therefore represent a potential therapeutic strategy for managing influenza virus infection.

Generation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Lung Organoids for Modeling Infection and Replication Differences between Human Adenovirus Types 3 and 55 and Evaluating Potential Antiviral Drugs.

Human adenoviruses type 3 (HAdV-3) and type 55 (HAdV-55) are frequently encountered, highly contagious respiratory pathogens with high morbidity rate. In contrast to HAdV-3, one of the most predominant types in children, HAdV-55 is a reemergent pathogen associated with more severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults, especially in military camps. However, the infectivity and pathogenicity differences between these viruses remain unknown as in vivo models are not available. Here, we report a novel system utilizing human embryonic stem cells-derived 3-dimensional airway organoids (hAWOs) and alveolar organoids (hALOs) to investigate these two viruses. Firstly, HAdV-55 replicated more robustly than HAdV-3. Secondly, cell tropism analysis in hAWOs and hALOs by immunofluorescence staining revealed that HAdV-55 infected more airway and alveolar stem cells (basal and AT2 cells) than HAdV-3, which may lead to impairment of self-renewal functions post-injury and the loss of cell differentiation in lungs. Additionally, the viral life cycles of HAdV-3 and -55 in organoids were also observed using Transmission Electron Microscopy. This study presents a useful pair of lung organoids for modeling infection and replication differences between respiratory pathogens, illustrating that HAdV-55 has relatively higher replication efficiency and more specific cell tropism in human lung organoids than HAdV-3, which may result in relatively higher pathogenicity and virulence of HAdV-55 in human lungs. The model system is also suitable for evaluating potential antiviral drugs, as demonstrated with cidofovir. IMPORTANCE Human adenovirus (HAdV) infections are a major threat worldwide. HAdV-3 is one of the most predominant respiratory pathogen types found in children. Many clinical studies have reported that HAdV-3 causes less severe disease. In contrast, HAdV-55, a reemergent acute respiratory disease pathogen, is associated with severe community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Currently, no ideal in vivo models are available for studying HAdVs. Therefore, the mechanism of infectivity and pathogenicity differences between human adenoviruses remain unknown. In this study, a useful pair of 3-dimensional (3D) airway organoids (hAWOs) and alveolar organoids (hALOs) were developed to serve as a model. The life cycles of HAdV-3 and HAdV-55 in these human lung organoids were documented for the first time. These 3D organoids harbor different cell types, which are similar to the ones found in humans. This allows for the study of the natural target cells for infection. The finding of differences in replication efficiency and cell tropism between HAdV-55 and -3 may provide insights into the mechanism of clinical pathogenicity differences between these two important HAdV types. Additionally, this study provides a viable and effective in vitro tool for evaluating potential anti-adenoviral treatments.

Isolation of novel simian adenoviruses from macaques for development of a vector for human gene therapy and vaccines.

IMPORTANCE: Adenoviruses are widely used in gene therapy and vaccine delivery. Due to the high prevalence of human adenoviruses (HAdVs), the pre-existing immunity against HAdVs in humans is common, which limits the wide and repetitive use of HAdV vectors. In contrast, the pre-existing immunity against simian adenoviruses (SAdVs) is low in humans. Therefore, we performed epidemiological investigations of SAdVs in simians and found that the SAdV prevalence was as high as 33.9%. The whole-genome sequencing and sequence analysis showed SAdV diversity and possible cross species transmission. One isolate with low level of pre-existing neutralizing antibodies in humans was used to construct replication-deficient SAdV vectors with E4orf6 substitution and E1/E3 deletion. Interestingly, we found that the E3 region plays a critical role in its replication in human cells, but the absence of this region could be compensated for by the E4orf6 from HAdV-5 and the E1 expression intrinsic to HEK293 cells.

Analysis of B Cell Receptor Repertoires Reveals Key Signatures of the Systemic B Cell Response after SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

A comprehensive study of the B cell response against SARS-CoV-2 could be significant for understanding the immune response and developing therapeutical antibodies and vaccines. To define the dynamics and characteristics of the antibody repertoire following SARS-CoV-2 infection, we analyzed the mRNA transcripts of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) repertoires of 24 peripheral blood samples collected between 3 and 111 days after symptom onset from 10 COVID-19 patients. Massive clonal expansion of naive B cells with limited somatic hypermutation (SHM) was observed in the second week after symptom onset. The proportion of low-SHM IgG clones strongly correlated with spike-specific IgG antibody titers, highlighting the significant activation of naive B cells in response to a novel virus infection. The antibody isotype switching landscape showed a transient IgA surge in the first week after symptom onset, followed by a sustained IgG elevation that lasted for at least 3 months. SARS-CoV-2 infection elicited poly-germ line reactive antibody responses. Interestingly, 17 different IGHV germ line genes recombined with IGHJ6 showed significant clonal expansion. By comparing the IgH repertoires that we sequenced with the 774 reported SARS-CoV-2-reactive monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), 13 shared spike-specific IgH clusters were found. These shared spike-specific IgH clusters are derived from the same lineage of several recently published neutralizing MAbs, including CC12.1, CC12.3, C102, REGN10977, and 4A8. Furthermore, identical spike-specific IgH sequences were found in different COVID-19 patients, suggesting a highly convergent antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. Our analysis based on sequencing antibody repertoires from different individuals revealed key signatures of the systemic B cell response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. IMPORTANCE Although the canonical delineation of serum antibody responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection has been well established, the dynamics of antibody repertoire at the mRNA transcriptional level has not been well understood, especially the correlation between serum antibody titers and the antibody mRNA transcripts. In this study, we analyzed the IgH transcripts and characterized the B cell clonal expansion and differentiation, isotype switching, and somatic hypermutation in COVID-19 patients. This study provided insights at the repertoire level for the B cell response after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Longitudinal Peripheral Blood Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Molecular Signatures of Disease Progression in COVID-19 Patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with some patients developing severe illness or even death. Disease severity has been associated with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and lymphopenia. To elucidate the atlas of peripheral immune response and pathways that might lead to immunopathology during COVID-19 disease course, we performed a peripheral blood RNA sequencing analysis of the same patient's samples collected from symptom onset to full recovery. We found that PBMCs at different disease stages exhibited unique transcriptome characteristics. We observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection caused excessive release of inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators as well as an aberrant increase of low-density neutrophils. Further analysis revealed an increased expression of RNA sensors and robust IFN-stimulated genes expression but a repressed type I IFN production. SARS-CoV-2 infection activated T and B cell responses during the early onset but resulted in transient adaptive immunosuppression during severe disease state. Activation of apoptotic pathways and functional exhaustion may contribute to the reduction of lymphocytes and dysfunction of adaptive immunity, whereas increase in IL2, IL7, and IL15 may facilitate the recovery of the number and function of lymphocytes. Our study provides comprehensive transcriptional signatures of peripheral blood response in patients with moderate COVID-19.

Mucosal Priming with a Recombinant Influenza A Virus-Vectored Vaccine Elicits T-Cell and Antibody Responses to HIV-1 in Mice.

Recombinant influenza A viral (IAV) vectors are potential to stimulate systemic and mucosal immunity, but the packaging capacity is limited and only one or a few epitopes can be carried. Here, we report the generation of a replication-competent IAV vector that carries a full-length HIV-1 p24 gene linked to the 5'-terminal coding region of the neuraminidase segment via a protease cleavage sequence (IAV-p24). IAV-p24 was successfully rescued and stably propagated, and P24 protein was efficiently expressed in infected mammalian cells. In BALB/c mice, IAV-p24 showed attenuated pathogenicity compared to that of the parental A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus. An intranasal inoculation with IAV-p24 elicited moderate HIV-specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses in the airway and vaginal tracts and in the spleen, and an intranasal boost with a replication-incompetent adenovirus type 2 vector expressing the HIV-1 gag gene (Ad2-gag) greatly improved these responses. Importantly, compared to an Ad2-gag prime plus IAV-p24 boost regimen, the IAV-p24 prime plus Ad2-gag boost regimen had a greater efficacy in eliciting HIV-specific CMI responses. P24-specific CD8+ T cells and antibodies were robustly provoked both systemically and in mucosal sites and showed long-term durability, revealing that IAV-p24 may be used as a mucosa-targeted priming vaccine. Our results illustrate that IAV-p24 is able to prime systemic and mucosal immunity against HIV-1 and warrants further evaluation in nonhuman primates.IMPORTANCE An effective HIV-1 vaccine remains elusive despite nearly 40 years of research. CD8+ T cells and protective antibodies may both be desirable for preventing HIV-1 infection in susceptible mucosal sites. Recombinant influenza A virus (IAV) vector has the potential to stimulate these immune responses, but the packaging capacity is extremely limited. Here, we describe a replication-competent IAV vector expressing the HIV-1 p24 gene (IAV-p24). Unlike most other IAV vectors that carried one or several antigenic epitopes, IAV-p24 stably expressed the full-length P24 protein, which contains multiple epitopes and is highly conserved among all known HIV-1 sequences. Compared to the parental A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus, IAV-p24 showed an attenuated pathogenicity in BALB/c mice. When combined with an adenovirus vector expressing the HIV-1 gag gene, IAV-p24 was able to prime P24-specific systemic and mucosal immune responses. IAV-p24 as an alternative priming vaccine against HIV-1 warrants further evaluation in nonhuman primates.

A Live-Attenuated Zika Virus Vaccine with High Production Capacity Confers Effective Protection in Neonatal Mice.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy has been linked to congenital abnormalities, such as microcephaly in infants. An efficacious vaccine is desirable for preventing the potential recurrence of ZIKV epidemic. Here, we report the generation of an attenuated ZIKV (rGZ02a) that has sharply decreased virulence in mice but grows to high titers in Vero cells, a widely approved cell line for manufacturing human vaccines. Compared to the wild-type ZIKV (GZ02) and a plasmid-launched rGZ02p, rGZ02a has 3 unique amino acid alterations in the envelope (E, S304F), nonstructural protein 1 (NS1, R103K), and NS5 (W637R). rGZ02a is more sensitive to type I interferon than GZ02 and rGZ02p, and causes no severe neurological disorders in either wild-type neonatal C57BL/6 mice or type I interferon receptor knockout (Ifnar1-/-) C57BL/6 mice. Immunization with rGZ02a elicits robust inhibitory antibody responses with a certain long-term durability. Neonates born to the immunized dams are effectively protected against ZIKV-caused neurological disorders and brain damage. rGZ02a as a booster vaccine greatly improves the protective immunity primed by Ad2-prME, an adenovirus-vectored vaccine expressing ZIKV prM and E proteins. Our results illustrate that rGZ02a-induced maternal immunity can be transferred to the neonates and confer effective protection. Hence, rGZ02a may be developed as an alternative live-attenuated vaccine and warrants further evaluation. IMPORTANCE Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has caused global outbreaks since 2013, is associated with severe neurological disorders, such as Guillian-Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly in infants. The ZIKV epidemic has gradually subsided, but a safe and effective vaccine is still desirable to prevent its potential recurrence, especially in countries of endemicity with competent mosquito vectors. Here, we describe a novel live-attenuated ZIKV, rGZ02a, that carries 3 unique amino acid alterations compared to the wild-type GZ02 and a plasmid-launched rGZ02p. The growth capacity of rGZ02a is comparable to GZ02 in Vero cells, but the pathogenicity is significantly attenuated in two mice models. Immunization with rGZ02a elicits robust inhibitory antibody responses in the dams and effectively protects their offspring against ZIKV disease. Importantly, in a heterologous prime-boost regimen, rGZ02a effectively boosts the protective immunity primed by an adenovirus-vectored vaccine. Thus, rGZ02a is a promising candidate for a live-attenuated ZIKV vaccine.

Human Desmoglein-2 and Human CD46 Mediate Human Adenovirus Type 55 Infection, but Human Desmoglein-2 Plays the Major Roles.

Human adenovirus type 55 (HAdV55) represents an emerging respiratory pathogen and causes severe pneumonia with high fatality in humans. The cellular receptors, which are essential for understanding the infection and pathogenesis of HAdV55, remain unclear. In this study, we found that HAdV55 binding and infection were sharply reduced by disrupting the interaction of viral fiber protein with human desmoglein-2 (hDSG2) but only slightly reduced by disrupting the interaction of viral fiber protein with human CD46 (hCD46). Loss-of-function studies using soluble receptors, blocking antibodies, RNA interference, and gene knockout demonstrated that hDSG2 predominantly mediated HAdV55 infection. Nonpermissive rodent cells became susceptible to HAdV55 infection when hDSG2 or hCD46 was expressed, but hDSG2 mediated more efficient HAd55 infection than hCD46. We generated two transgenic mouse lines that constitutively express either hDSG2 or hCD46. Although nontransgenic mice were resistant to HAdV55 infection, infection with HAdV55 was significantly increased in hDSG2+/+ mice but was much less increased in hCD46+/+ mice. Our findings demonstrate that both hDSG2 and hCD46 are able to mediate HAdV55 infection but hDSG2 plays the major roles. The hDSG2 transgenic mouse can be used as a rodent model for evaluation of HAdV55 vaccine and therapeutics.IMPORTANCE Human adenovirus type 55 (HAdV55) has recently emerged as a highly virulent respiratory pathogen and has been linked to severe and even fatal pneumonia in immunocompetent adults. However, the cellular receptors mediating the entry of HAdV55 into host cells remain unclear, which hinders the establishment of HAdV55-infected animal models and the development of antiviral approaches. In this study, we demonstrated that human desmoglein-2 (hDSG2) plays the major roles during HAdV55 infection. Human CD46 (hCD46) could also mediate the infection of HAdV55, but the efficiency was much lower than for hDSG2. We generated two transgenic mouse lines that express either hDSG2 or hCD46, both of which enabled HAd55 infection in otherwise nontransgenic mice. hDSG2 transgenic mice enabled more efficient HAdV55 infection than hCD46 transgenic mice. Our study adds to our understanding of HAdV55 infection and provides an animal model for evaluating HAdV55 vaccines and therapeutics.

Molecular typing and genomic characteristic of human adenoviruses in Datong, Northern China.

The molecular prevalence of human adenoviruses (HAdVs) in Datong city and molecular evolution of HAdV-C species is still obscure. Here, we explored the molecular prevalence of HAdVs by simultaneous sequencing of hexon and fiber. Then, the penton gene fragments of HAdV-C species were determined by sequencing. Finally, genomic and proteotyping analysis were performed for exploration of molecular evolution of unique HAdV-6. Our results showed that dominant molecular types of HAdVs were HAdV-3, HAdV-2, and HAdV-1 based on the hexon and fiber genotype. Among H2F2 isolates, P1H2F2 was most common, followed by P2H2F2 and HAdV-89. The clinical symptoms of HAdV-1 or HAdV-2 infected patients were more severe than HAdV-3 infected patients, the prognosis of HAdV-1, HAdV-2, and HAdV-3 infected patients was indifference. Genomic and proteotyping analysis demonstrated that DT15 was different from HAdV-6 prototype, with high-discrepant sequences localized in the E3 region. In conclusion, HAdV-1 and HAdV-2 have a high affinity to infect younger children and cause more severe symptoms than HAdV-3. The E3 gene of HAdV-C species was considered as highly recombination and mutation region.

Estrogen-related receptor γ regulates hepatic triglyceride metabolism through phospholipase A2 G12B.

Hypersecretion of hepatic very LDL (VLDL)-associated triglyceride (TG) is the hallmark of hypertriglyceridemia. The estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ), an orphan nuclear receptor, plays crucial roles in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis, including TG formation in the liver. It remains unclear whether ERRγ regulates hepatic VLDL-TG secretion. We demonstrated that knockdown of ERRγ impairs hepatic VLDL-TG secretion in mice, whereas overexpression of ERRγ favors the secretion, indicating a novel role of ERRγ in hepatic TG metabolism. We found that ERRγ transcriptionally regulates the expression of PLA2G12B by binding to the promoter region of the Pla2g12b gene. In Pla2g12b-null mice, ERRγ fails to regulate hepatic VLDL-TG secretion. There is an apparent accumulation of large lipid droplets in the liver of Pla2g12b-null mice. These data suggest that ERRγ is a novel regulator of hepatic VLDL-TG secretion, which is mediated through the action on PLA2G12B.-Chen, L., Wu, M., Zhang, S., Tan, W., Guan, M., Feng, L., Chen, C., Tao, J., Chen, L., Qu, L. Estrogen-related receptor γ regulates hepatic triglyceride metabolism through phospholipase A2 G12B.

Proton Channel Activity of Influenza A Virus Matrix Protein 2 Contributes to Autophagy Arrest.

Influenza A virus infection can arrest autophagy, as evidenced by autophagosome accumulation in infected cells. Here, we report that this autophagosome accumulation can be inhibited by amantadine, an antiviral proton channel inhibitor, in amantadine-sensitive virus infected cells or cells expressing influenza A virus matrix protein 2 (M2). Thus, M2 proton channel activity plays a role in blocking the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, which might be a key mechanism for arresting autophagy.

Mucosal priming with a replicating-vaccinia virus-based vaccine elicits protective immunity to simian immunodeficiency virus challenge in rhesus monkeys.

Mucosal surfaces are not targeted by most human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccines, despite being major routes for HIV-1 transmission. Here we report a novel vaccination regimen consisting of a mucosal prime with a modified replicating vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (MVTT(SIVgpe)) and an intramuscular boost with a nonreplicating adenovirus strain (Ad5(SIVgpe)). This regimen elicited robust cellular immune responses with enhanced magnitudes, sustainability, and polyfunctionality, as well as higher titers of neutralizing antibodies against the simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(mac1A11) in rhesus monkeys. The reductions in peak and set-point viral loads were significant in most animals, with one other animal being protected fully from high-dose intrarectal inoculation of SIV(mac239). Furthermore, the animals vaccinated with this regimen were healthy, while ~75% of control animals developed simian AIDS. The protective effects correlated with the vaccine-elicited SIV-specific CD8(+) T cell responses against Gag and Pol. Our study provides a novel strategy for developing an HIV-1 vaccine by using the combination of a replicating vector and mucosal priming.

Computational efficiency improvement with Wigner rotation technique in studying atoms in intense few-cycle circularly polarized pulses.

We show that by introducing Wigner rotation technique into the solution of time-dependent Schrödinger equation in length gauge, computational efficiency can be greatly improved in describing atoms in intense few-cycle circularly polarized laser pulses. The methodology with Wigner rotation technique underlying our openMP parallel computational code for circularly polarized laser pulses is described. Results of test calculations to investigate the scaling property of the computational code with the number of the electronic angular basis function l as well as the strong field phenomena are presented and discussed for the hydrogen atom.

Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies protect against human adenovirus type 55 infection in transgenic mice and tree shrews.

Re-emerging human adenovirus type 55 (HAdV55) has become a significant threat to public health due to its widespread circulation and the association with severe pneumonia, but an effective anti-HAdV55 agent remains unavailable. Herein, we report the generation of macaque-derived, human-like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) protecting against HAdV55 infection with high potency. Using fluorophore-labelled HAdV55 virions as probes, we isolated specific memory B cells from rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that were immunized twice with an experimental vaccine based on E1-, E3-deleted, replication-incompetent HAdV55. We cloned a total of 19 neutralizing mAbs, nine of which showed half-maximal inhibitory concentrations below 1.0 ng/ml. These mAbs recognized the hyper-variable-region (HVR) 1, 2, or 7 of viral hexon protein, or the fibre knob. In transgenic mice expressing human desmoglein-2, the major cellular receptor for HAdV55, a single intraperitoneal injection with hexon-targeting mAbs efficiently prevented HAdV55 infection, and mAb 29C12 showed protection at a dose as low as 0.004 mg/kg. Fibre-targeting mAb 28E8, however, showed protection only at a dose up to 12.5 mg/kg. In tree shrews that are permissive for HAdV55 infection and disease, mAb 29C12 effectively prevented HAdV55-caused pneumonia. Further analysis revealed that fibre-targeting mAbs blocked the attachment of HAdV55 to host cells, whereas hexon-targeting mAbs, regardless of their targeting HVRs, mainly functioned at post-attachment stage via inhibiting viral endosomal escape. Our results indicate that hexon-targeting mAbs have great anti-HAdV55 activities and warrant pre-clinical and clinical evaluation.

Circumventing antivector immunity by using adenovirus-infected blood cells for repeated application of adenovirus-vectored vaccines: proof of concept in rhesus macaques.

Adenovirus has been extensively exploited as a vector platform for delivering vaccines. However, preexisting antiadenovirus immunity is the major stumbling block for application of adenovirus-vectored vaccines. In this study, we found that freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), mostly CD14(+) cells, from adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5)-seropositive primates (humans and rhesus macaques) can be efficiently infected with Ad5 in vitro. On the basis of this observation, a novel strategy based on adenoviral vector-infected PBMC (AVIP) immunization was explored to circumvent antivector immunity. Autologous infusion of Ad5-SIVgag-infected PBMCs elicited a strong Gag-specific cellular immune response but induced weaker Ad5-neutralizing antibody (NAb) in Ad5-seronegative macaques than in macaques intramuscularly injected with Ad5-SIVgag. Moreover, Ad5-seropositive macaques receiving multiple AVIP immunizations with Ad5-SIVenv, Ad5-SIVgag, and Ad5-SIVpol vaccines elicited escalated Env-, Gag-, and Pol-specific immune responses after each immunization that were significantly greater than those in macaques intramuscularly injected with these Ad5-SIV vaccines. After challenged intravenously with a highly pathogenic SIVmac239 virus, macaques receiving AVIP immunization demonstrated a significant reduction in viral load at both the peak time and set-point period compared with macaques without Ad5-SIV vaccines. Our study warranted further research and development of the AVIP immunization as a platform for repeated applications of adenovirus-vectored vaccines.

Effect of seasonal coronavirus immune imprinting on the immunogenicity of inactivated COVID-19 vaccination.

Background: Pre-existing cross-reactive immunity among different coronaviruses, also termed immune imprinting, may have a comprehensive impact on subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness. Here, we aim to explore the interplay between pre-existing seasonal coronaviruses (sCoVs) antibodies and the humoral immunity induced by COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: We first collected serum samples from healthy donors prior to COVID-19 pandemic and individuals who had received COVID-19 vaccination post-pandemic in China, and the levels of IgG antibodies against sCoVs and SARS-CoV-2 were detected by ELISA. Wilcoxon rank sum test and chi-square test were used to compare the difference in magnitude and seropositivity rate between two groups. Then, we recruited a longitudinal cohort to collect serum samples before and after COVID-19 vaccination. The levels of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 S, S1, S2 and N antigen were monitored. Association between pre-existing sCoVs antibody and COVID-19 vaccination-induced antibodies were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. Results: 96.0% samples (339/353) showed the presence of IgG antibodies against at least one subtype of sCoVs. 229E and OC43 exhibited the highest seroprevalence rates at 78.5% and 72.0%, respectively, followed by NL63 (60.9%) and HKU1 (52.4%). The levels of IgG antibodies against two ß coronaviruses (OC43 and HKU1) were significantly higher in these donors who had inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines compared to pre-pandemic healthy donors. However, we found that COVID-19 vaccine-induced antibody levels were not significant different between two groups with high levelor low level of pre-existing sCoVs antibody among the longitudinal cohort. Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of antibodies against sCoVs in Chinese population. The immune imprinting by sCoVs could be reactivated by COVID-19 vaccination, but it did not appear to be a major factor affecting the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccine. These findings will provide insights into understanding the impact of immune imprinting on subsequent multiple shots of COVID-19 vaccines.

A new vaccination regimen using adenovirus-vectored vaccine confers effective protection against African swine fever virus in swine.

African swine fever (ASF) is an acute and highly contagious lethal infectious disease in swine that severely threatens the global pig industry. At present, a safe and efficacious vaccine is urgently required to prevent and control the disease. In this study, we evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of replication-incompetent type-2 adenoviruses carrying African swine fever virus (ASFV) antigens, namely CP204L (p30), E183L (p54), EP402R (CD2v), B646L (p72), and B602L (p72 chaperone). A vaccine cocktail delivered by simultaneous intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) administration robustly elicited both systemic and mucosal immune responses against AFSV in mice and swine and provided highly effective protection against the circulating ASFV strain in farmed pigs. This multi-antigen cocktail vaccine was well tolerated in the vaccinated animals. No significant interference among antigens was observed. The combined IM and IN vaccination using this adenovirus-vectored antigen cocktail vaccine warrants further evaluation for providing safe and effective protection against ASFV infection and transmission.

Booster vaccination is required to elicit and maintain COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity in SIV-infected macaques.

ABSTRACTProlonged infection and possible evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in patients living with uncontrolled HIV-1 infection highlight the importance of an effective vaccination regimen, yet the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines and predictive immune biomarkers have not been well investigated. Herein, we report that the magnitude and persistence of antibody and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) elicited by an Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine are impaired in SIV-infected macaques with high viral loads (> 105 genome copies per ml plasma, SIVhi) but not in macaques with low viral loads (< 105, SIVlow). After a second vaccination, the immune responses are robustly enhanced in all uninfected and SIVlow macaques. These responses also show a moderate increase in 70% SIVhi macaques but decline sharply soon after. Further analysis reveals that decreased antibody and CMI responses are associated with reduced circulating follicular helper T cell (TFH) counts and aberrant CD4/CD8 ratios, respectively, indicating that dysregulation of CD4+ T cells by SIV infection impairs the COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity. Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine shows no impact on SIV loads or SIV-specific CMI responses. Our study underscores the necessity of frequent booster vaccinations in HIV-infected patients and provides indicative biomarkers for predicting vaccination effectiveness in these patients.

SARS-CoV-2 induces cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inflammation but can be ameliorated by ACE inhibitor Captopril.

Although the clinical manifestation of COVID-19 is mainly respiratory symptoms, approximately 20% of patients suffer from cardiac complications. COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular disease have higher severity of myocardial injury and poor outcomes. The underlying mechanism of myocardial injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear. Using a non-transgenic mouse model infected with Beta variant (B.1.351), we found that the viral RNA could be detected in lungs and hearts of infected mice. Pathological analysis showed thinner ventricular wall, disorganized and ruptured myocardial fiber, mild inflammatory infiltration, and mild epicardia or interstitial fibrosis in hearts of infected mice. We also found that SARS-CoV-2 could infect cardiomyocytes and produce infectious progeny viruses in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte-like cells (hPSC-CMs). SARS-CoV-2 infection caused apoptosis, reduction of mitochondrial integrity and quantity, and cessation of beating in hPSC-CMs. In order to dissect the mechanism of myocardial injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, we employed transcriptome sequencing of hPSC-CMs at different time points after viral infection. Transcriptome analysis showed robust induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, up-regulation of MHC class I molecules, activation of apoptosis signaling and cell cycle arresting. These may cause aggravate inflammation, immune cell infiltration, and cell death. Furthermore, we found that Captopril (hypotensive drugs targeting ACE) treatment could alleviate SARS-CoV-2 induced inflammatory response and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes via inactivating TNF signaling pathways, suggesting Captopril may be beneficial for reducing COVID-19 associated cardiomyopathy. These findings preliminarily explain the molecular mechanism of pathological cardiac injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing new perspectives for the discovery of antiviral therapeutics.