Newcastle Disease Virus-Based Vectored Vaccine against Poliomyelitis.

The poliovirus eradication initiative has spawned global immunization infrastructure and dramatically decreased the prevalence of the disease, yet the original virus eradication goal has not been met. The suboptimal properties of the existing vaccines are among the major reasons why the program has repeatedly missed eradication deadlines. Oral live poliovirus vaccine (OPV), while affordable and effective, occasionally causes the disease in the primary recipients, and the attenuated viruses rapidly regain virulence and can cause poliomyelitis outbreaks. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) is safe but expensive and does not induce the mucosal immunity necessary to interrupt virus transmission. While the need for a better vaccine is widely recognized, current efforts are focused largely on improvements to the OPV or IPV, which are still beset by the fundamental drawbacks of the original products. Here we demonstrate a different design of an antipoliovirus vaccine based on in situ production of virus-like particles (VLPs). The poliovirus capsid protein precursor, together with a protease required for its processing, are expressed from a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vector, a negative-strand RNA virus with mucosal tropism. In this system, poliovirus VLPs are produced in the cells of vaccine recipients and are presented to their immune systems in the context of active replication of NDV, which serves as a natural adjuvant. Intranasal administration of the vectored vaccine to guinea pigs induced strong neutralizing systemic and mucosal antibody responses. Thus, the vectored poliovirus vaccine combines the affordability and efficiency of a live vaccine with absolute safety, since no full-length poliovirus genome is present at any stage of the vaccine life cycle.IMPORTANCE A new, safe, and effective vaccine against poliovirus is urgently needed not only to complete the eradication of the virus but also to be used in the future to prevent possible virus reemergence in a postpolio world. Currently, new formulations of the oral vaccine, as well as improvements to the inactivated vaccine, are being explored. In this study, we designed a viral vector with mucosal tropism that expresses poliovirus capsid proteins. Thus, poliovirus VLPs are produced in vivo, in the cells of a vaccine recipient, and are presented to the immune system in the context of vector virus replication, stimulating the development of systemic and mucosal immune responses. Such an approach allows the development of an affordable and safe vaccine that does not rely on the full-length poliovirus genome at any stage.

Pathogenic Events in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Oral Poliovirus Infection Leading to Paralytic Poliomyelitis.

Despite a great deal of prior research, the early pathogenic events in natural oral poliovirus infection remain poorly defined. To establish a model for study, we infected 39 macaques by feeding them single high doses of the virulent Mahoney strain of wild type 1 poliovirus. Doses ranging from 107 to 109 50% tissue culture infective doses (TCID50) consistently infected all the animals, and many monkeys receiving 108 or 109 TCID50 developed paralysis. There was no apparent difference in the susceptibilities of the three macaque species (rhesus, cynomolgus, and bonnet) used. Virus excretion in stool and nasopharynges was consistently observed, with occasional viremia, and virus was isolated from tonsils, gut mucosa, and draining lymph nodes. Viral replication proteins were detected in both epithelial and lymphoid cell populations expressing CD155 in the tonsil and intestine, as well as in spinal cord neurons. Necrosis was observed in these three cell types, and viral replication in the tonsil/gut was associated with histopathologic destruction and inflammation. The sustained response of neutralizing antibody correlated temporally with resolution of viremia and termination of virus shedding in oropharynges and feces. For the first time, this model demonstrates that early in the infectious process, poliovirus replication occurs in both epithelial cells (explaining virus shedding in the gastrointestinal tract) and lymphoid/monocytic cells in tonsils and Peyer's patches (explaining viremia), extending previous studies of poliovirus pathogenesis in humans. Because the model recapitulates human poliovirus infection and poliomyelitis, it can be used to study polio pathogenesis and to assess the efficacy of candidate antiviral drugs and new vaccines.IMPORTANCE Early pathogenic events of poliovirus infection remain largely undefined, and there is a lack of animal models mimicking natural oral human infection leading to paralytic poliomyelitis. All 39 macaques fed with single high doses ranging from 107 to 109 TCID50 Mahoney type 1 virus were infected, and many of the monkeys developed paralysis. Virus excretion in stool and nasopharynges was consistently observed, with occasional viremia; tonsil, mesentery lymph nodes, and intestinal mucosa served as major target sites of viral replication. For the first time, this model demonstrates that early in the infectious process, poliovirus replication occurs in both epithelial cells (explaining virus shedding in the gastrointestinal tract) and lymphoid/monocytic cells in tonsils and Peyer's patches (explaining viremia), thereby supplementing historical reconstructions of poliovirus pathogenesis. Because the model recapitulates human poliovirus infection and poliomyelitis, it can be used to study polio pathogenesis, candidate antiviral drugs, and the efficacy of new vaccines.

Assessing the potency and immunogenicity of inactivated poliovirus vaccine after exposure to freezing temperatures.

According to manufacturers, inactivated poliovirus vaccines (IPVs) are freeze sensitive and require storage between 2°C and 8°C, whereas oral poliovirus vaccine requires storage at -20 °C. Introducing IPV into ongoing immunization services might result in accidental exposure to freezing temperatures and potential loss of vaccine potency. To better understand the effect of freezing IPVs, samples of single-dose vaccine vials from Statens Serum Institut (VeroPol) and multi-dose vaccine vials from Sanofi Pasteur (IPOL) were exposed to freezing temperatures mimicking what a vaccine vial might encounter in the field. D-antigen content was measured to determine the in vitro potency by ELISA. Immunogenicity testing was conducted for a subset of exposed IPVs using the rat model. Freezing VeroPol had no detectable effect on in vitro potency (D-antigen content) in all exposures tested. Freezing of the IPOL vaccine for 7 days at -20 °C showed statistically significant decreases in D-antigen content by ELISA in poliovirus type 1 (p < 0.0001) and type 3 (p = 0.048). Reduction of poliovirus type 2 potency also approached significance (p = 0.062). The observed loss in D-antigen content did not affect immunogenicity in the rat model. Further work is required to determine the significance of the loss observed and the implications for vaccine handling policies and practices.

Cross-neutralizing human anti-poliovirus antibodies bind the recognition site for cellular receptor.

Most structural information about poliovirus interaction with neutralizing antibodies was obtained in the 1980s in studies of mouse monoclonal antibodies. Recently we have isolated a number of human/chimpanzee anti-poliovirus antibodies and demonstrated that one of them, MAb A12, could neutralize polioviruses of both serotypes 1 and 2. This communication presents data on isolation of an additional cross-neutralizing antibody (F12) and identification of a previously unknown epitope on the surface of poliovirus virions. Epitope mapping was performed by sequencing of antibody-resistant mutants and by cryo-EM of complexes of virions with Fab fragments. The results have demonstrated that both cross-neutralizing antibodies bind the site located at the bottom of the canyon surrounding the fivefold axis of symmetry that was previously shown to interact with cellular poliovirus receptor CD155. However, the same antibody binds to serotypes 1 and 2 through different specific interactions. It was also shown to interact with type 3 poliovirus, albeit with about 10-fold lower affinity, insufficient for effective neutralization. Antibody interaction with the binding site of the cellular receptor may explain its broad reactivity and suggest that further screening or antibody engineering could lead to a universal antibody capable of neutralizing all three serotypes of poliovirus.

Intradermal inactivated poliovirus vaccine: a preclinical dose-finding study.

Intradermal delivery of vaccines has been shown to result in dose sparing. We tested the ability of fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) delivered intradermally to induce levels of serum poliovirus-neutralizing antibodies similar to immunization through the intramuscular route. Immunogenicity of fractional doses of IPV was studied by comparing intramuscular and intradermal immunization of Wistar rats using NanoPass MicronJet600 microneedles. Intradermal delivery of partial vaccine doses induced antibodies at titers comparable to those after immunization with full human dose delivered intramuscularly. The results suggest that intradermal delivery of IPV may lead to dose-sparing effect and reduction of the vaccination cost.

Comparison of the Immunogenicity of Various Booster Doses of Inactivated Polio Vaccine Delivered Intradermally Versus Intramuscularly to HIV-Infected Adults.

BACKGROUND: Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is necessary for global polio eradication because oral polio vaccine can rarely cause poliomyelitis as it mutates and may fail to provide adequate immunity in immunocompromised populations. However, IPV is unaffordable for many developing countries. Intradermal IPV shows promise as a means to decrease the effective dose and cost of IPV, but prior studies, all using 20% of the standard dose used in intramuscular IPV, resulted in inferior antibody titers. METHODS: We randomly assigned 231 adults with well-controlled human immunodeficiency virus infection at a ratio of 2:2:2:1 to receive 40% of the standard dose of IPV intradermally, 20% of the standard dose intradermally, the full standard dose intramuscularly, or 40% of the standard dose intramuscularly. Intradermal vaccination was done using the NanoPass MicronJet600 microneedle device. RESULTS: Baseline immunity was 87%, 90%, and 66% against poliovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. After vaccination, antibody titers increased a median of 64-fold. Vaccine response to 40% of the standard dose administered intradermally was comparable to that of the standard dose of IPV administered intramuscularly and resulted in higher (although not significantly) antibody titers. Intradermal administration had higher a incidence of local side effects (redness and itching) but a similar incidence of systemic side effects and was preferred by study participants over intramuscular administration. CONCLUSIONS: A 60% reduction in the standard IPV dose without reduction in antibody titers is possible through intradermal administration.

New small-molecule inhibitors effectively blocking picornavirus replication.

UNLABELLED: Few drugs targeting picornaviruses are available, making the discovery of antivirals a high priority. Here, we identified and characterized three compounds from a library of kinase inhibitors that block replication of poliovirus, coxsackievirus B3, and encephalomyocarditis virus. Using an in vitro translation-replication system, we showed that these drugs inhibit different stages of the poliovirus life cycle. A4(1) inhibited both the formation and functioning of the replication complexes, while E5(1) and E7(2) were most effective during the formation but not the functioning step. Neither of the compounds significantly inhibited VPg uridylylation. Poliovirus resistant to E7(2) had a G5318A mutation in the 3A protein. This mutation was previously found to confer resistance to enviroxime-like compounds, which target a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIß (PI4KIIIß)-dependent step in viral replication. Analysis of host protein recruitment showed that E7(2) reduced the amount of GBF1 on the replication complexes; however, the level of PI4KIIIß remained intact. E7(2) as well as another enviroxime-like compound, GW5074, interfered with viral polyprotein processing affecting both 3C- and 2A-dependent cleavages, and the resistant G5318A mutation partially rescued this defect. Moreover, E7(2) induced abnormal recruitment to membranes of the viral proteins; thus, enviroxime-like compounds likely severely compromise the interaction of the viral polyprotein with membranes. A4(1) demonstrated partial protection from paralysis in a murine model of poliomyelitis. Multiple attempts to isolate resistant mutants in the presence of A4(1) or E5(1) were unsuccessful, showing that effective broad-spectrum antivirals could be developed on the basis of these compounds. IMPORTANCE: Diverse picornaviruses can trigger multiple human maladies, yet currently, only hepatitis A virus and poliovirus can be controlled with vaccination. The development of antipicornavirus therapeutics is also facing significant difficulties because these viruses readily generate resistance to compounds targeting either viral or cellular factors. Here, we describe three novel compounds that effectively block replication of distantly related picornaviruses with minimal toxicity to cells. The compounds prevent viral RNA replication after the synthesis of the uridylylated VPg primer. Importantly, two of the inhibitors are strongly refractory to the emergence of resistant mutants, making them promising candidates for further broad-spectrum therapeutic development. Evaluation of one of the compounds in an in vivo model of poliomyelitis demonstrated partial protection from the onset of paralysis.

Breaking immune tolerance by targeting CD25+ regulatory T cells is essential for the anti-tumor effect of the CTLA-4 blockade in an HLA-DR transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies suggest that the cancer immunotherapy based on the blockade of the CTLA-4-mediated inhibitory pathway is efficacious only in select populations, predominantly for immunogenic tumors or when delivered in combination with modalities that can break immunologic tolerance to tumor antigens. METHODS: We studied the effect of CD25+ cell depletion and CTLA-4 blockade on the growth of Transgenic Mouse Adenocarcinoma of Prostate (TRAMP)-PSA tumor cells in DR2bxPSA F1 mice. In these mice, immunological tolerance to PSA was established in a context of the HLA-DRB1*1501(DR2b) allele. RESULTS: In our model, single administration of anti-CD25 antibody prior to tumor inoculation significantly increased IFN-γ production in response to the CD8 T cell epitope PSA65-73 , and delayed TRAMP-PSA tumor growth compared to mice treated with isotype control antibodies. In contrast, the anti-tumor effect of the anti-CTLA-4 antibody as a monotherapy was marginal. The combinatory treatment with anti-CD25/anti-CTLA-4 antibodies significantly enhanced anti-tumor immunity and caused more profound delay in tumor growth compared to each treatment alone. The proportion of tumor-free animals was higher in the group that received combination treatment (21%) compared to other groups (2-7%). The enhanced anti-tumor immunity in response to the CD25 depletion or CTLA-4 blockade was only seen in the immunogenic TRAMP-PSA tumor model, whereas the effect was completely absent in mice bearing poorly immunogenic TRAMP-C1 tumors. DISCUSSION: Our data suggest that breaking immunological tolerance to "self" antigens is essential for the therapeutic effect of CTLA-4 blockade. Such combinatory treatment may be a promising approach for prostate cancer immunotherapy.

Vaccine poliovirus shedding and immune response to oral polio vaccine in HIV-infected and -uninfected Zimbabwean infants.

BACKGROUND: With prolonged replication, attenuated polioviruses used in oral polio vaccine (OPV) can mutate into vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) and cause poliomyelitis outbreaks. Individuals with primary humoral immunodeficiencies can become chronically infected with vaccine poliovirus, allowing it to mutate into immunodeficiency-associated VDPV (iVDPV). It is unclear if children perinatally infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), who have humoral as well as cellular immunodeficiencies, might be sources of iVDPV. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study collecting stool and blood samples at multiple time points from Zimbabwean infants receiving OPV according to the national schedule. Nucleic acid extracted from stool was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction for OPV serotypes. RESULTS: We analyzed 825 stool samples: 285 samples from 92 HIV-infected children and 540 from 251 HIV-uninfected children. Poliovirus shedding was similar after 0-2 OPV doses but significantly higher in the HIV-infected versus uninfected children after ≥ 3 OPV doses, particularly within 42 days of an OPV dose, independent of seroconversion status. HIV infection was not associated with prolonged or persistent poliovirus shedding. HIV infection was associated with significantly lower polio seroconversion rates. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection is associated with decreased mucosal and humoral immune responses to OPV but not the prolonged viral shedding required to form iVDPV.

Antigenic diversity of type 1 polioviruses and its implications for the efficacy of polio vaccines.

Inactivated Polio Vaccines (IPV) and live Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) were introduced in the mid-20th century, and their coordinated worldwide use led to almost complete elimination of the disease, with only one serotype of poliovirus remaining endemic in just two countries. Polio eradication will lead to discontinuation of OPV use and its replacement with IPV or other vaccines that are currently under development that will need to be tested in clinical trials. Despite decades of research, questions remain about the serological correlates of polio vaccine efficacy, specifically whether the vaccines are equally protective against immunologically different strains of the same serotype. The absence of significant morbidity does not allow use of a protection endpoint in clinical trials, so the answer could be obtained only by using surrogate markers such as immunogenicity. In this study, a panel of wild and vaccine-derived polioviruses of serotype 1 were tested in neutralization assays with sera from vaccine-immunized individuals. The results demonstrated that there was a significant difference in titers of neutralizing antibodies in human sera when measured against different strains. When measured with a homologous strain used for vaccine manufacture all subjects had detectable levels of antibodies, while neutralization tests with some heterologous strains failed to detect neutralizing antibodies in a number of subjects. Administration of a booster dose of IPV led to a significant increase in neutralizing titers against all strains. Results of the experiments using animal sera, performed to obtain more information on protectivity of neutralizing antibodies against heterologous strains, were consistent with the results obtained in the assays using human sera. These results are discussed in the context of serological biomarkers of protection against poliomyelitis, suggesting that potency of vaccines made from serologically different strains should be determined against both homologous and heterologous challenge viruses.

Chimpanzee-human monoclonal antibodies for treatment of chronic poliovirus excretors and emergency postexposure prophylaxis.

Six poliovirus-neutralizing Fabs were recovered from a combinatorial Fab phage display library constructed from bone marrow-derived lymphocytes of immunized chimpanzees. The chimeric chimpanzee-human full-length IgGs (hereinafter called monoclonal antibodies [MAbs]) were generated by combining a chimpanzee IgG light chain and a variable domain of heavy chain with a human constant Fc region. The six MAbs neutralized vaccine strains and virulent strains of poliovirus. Five MAbs were serotype specific, while one MAb cross-neutralized serotypes 1 and 2. Epitope mapping performed by selecting and sequencing antibody-resistant viral variants indicated that the cross-neutralizing MAb bound between antigenic sites 1 and 2, thereby covering the canyon region containing the receptor-binding site. Another serotype 1-specific MAb recognized a region located between antigenic sites 2 and 3 that included parts of capsid proteins VP1 and VP3. Both serotype 2-specific antibodies recognized antigenic site 1. No escape mutants to serotype 3-specific MAbs could be generated. The administration of a serotype 1-specific MAb to transgenic mice susceptible to poliovirus at a dose of 5 µg/mouse completely protected them from paralysis after challenge with a lethal dose of wild-type poliovirus. Moreover, MAb injection 6 or 12 h after virus infection provided significant protection. The MAbs described here could be tested in clinical trials to determine whether they might be useful for treatment of immunocompromised chronic virus excretors and for emergency protection of contacts of a paralytic poliomyelitis case.

Cutting edge: permissive MHC class II allele changes the pattern of antitumor immune response resulting in failure of tumor rejection.

We studied the growth of transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP)-C1 tumor cells expressing human prostate-specific Ag (PSA) in HLA-DRB1*1501 (DR2b) transgenic mice. TRAMP-PSA tumors were frequently rejected by HLA-DR2b(-) mice but had increased incidence in HLA-DR2b(+) littermates. The levels of PSA-specific CD8 T cell responses were significantly higher in the HLA-DR2b(-) mice that rejected TRAMP-PSA tumors compared with HLA-DR2b(+) tumor-bearing littermates. In contrast, Ab responses to PSA were strong in HLA-DR2b(+) mice bearing TRAMP-PSA tumors and were virtually undetectable in HLA-DR2b(-) littermates. The analysis of CD4 T cell responses to PSA revealed the presence of several CD4 T cell epitopes in HLA-DR2b(+) mice but failed to identify strong I-A(b)-restricted epitopes in HLA-DR2b(-) mice. Our data demonstrate that the expression of a permissive HLA class II allele can change the pattern of the immune response to a tumor Ag, resulting in the failure of tumor rejection.

Universal ELISA for quantification of D-antigen in inactivated poliovirus vaccines.

To address the biosafety and biosecurity concerns related to the manufacture of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), several manufacturers started producing it from attenuated Sabin strains. Slight immunological differences between wild and attenuated strains create a challenge for testing IPV potency, which is defined as the content of protective D-antigen determined in an ELISA test. Some ELISA reagents selected for testing conventional IPV made from wild strains (cIPV) may not be suitable for testing Sabin IPV (sIPV). This paper describes an ELISA procedure using human monoclonal antibodies selected to capture equally well both wild and attenuated strains of poliovirus. A unique monoclonal antibody neutralizing all three serotypes of poliovirus was used as the detection antibody. The method was shown to detect only D-antigen of both conventional and Sabin IPV and to be strictly serotype-specific. The method is highly sensitive and robust and produces linear results in a wide range of concentrations. We have also found that reference standards used for measuring potency of cIPV and sIPV must be made from respective vaccines. This makes it impossible to cross-calibrate potency reagents made from heterologous vaccine and requires the establishment of a new unit to measure potency of sIPV that is different from conventional D-antigen unit.

Human IgA Monoclonal Antibodies That Neutralize Poliovirus, Produced by Hybridomas and Recombinant Expression.

Poliovirus (PV)-specific intestinal IgAs are important for cessation of PV shedding in the gastrointestinal tract following an acute infection with wild type or vaccine-derived PV strains. We sought to produce IgA monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with PV neutralizing activity. We first performed de novo IgA discovery from primary human B cells using a hybridoma method that allows assessment of mAb binding and expression on the hybridoma surface: On-Cell mAb Screening (OCMS™). Six IgA1 mAbs were cloned by this method; three potently neutralized type 3 Sabin and wt PV strains. The hybridoma mAbs were heterogeneous, expressed in monomeric, dimeric, and aberrant forms. We also used recombinant methods to convert two high-potency anti-PV IgG mAbs into dimeric IgA1 and IgA2 mAbs. Isotype switching did not substantially change their neutralization activities. To purify the recombinant mAbs, Protein L binding was used, and one of the mAbs required a single amino acid substitution in its κ LC in order to enable protein L binding. Lastly, we used OCMS to assess IgA expression on the surface of hybridomas and transiently transfected, adherent cells. These studies have generated potent anti-PV IgA mAbs, for use in animal models, as well as additional tools for the discovery and production of human IgA mAbs.

A novel gamma radiation-inactivated sabin-based polio vaccine.

A concerted action on the part of international agencies and national governments has resulted in the near-eradication of poliomyelitis. However, both the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) have deficiencies which make them suboptimal for use after global eradication. OPV is composed of attenuated Sabin strains and stimulates robust immunity, but may revert to neurovirulent forms in the intestine which can be shed and infect susceptible contacts. The majority of IPV products are manufactured using pathogenic strains inactivated with formalin. Upon eradication, the production of large quantities of pathogenic virus will present an increased biosecurity hazard. A logical ideal endgame vaccine would be an inactivated form of an attenuated strain that could afford protective immunity while safely producing larger numbers of doses per unit of virus stock than current vaccines. We report here the development of an ionizing radiation (IR)-inactivated Sabin-based vaccine using a reconstituted Mn-decapeptide (MDP) antioxidant complex derived from the radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. In bacteria, Mn2+-peptide antioxidants protect proteins from oxidative damage caused by extreme radiation exposure. Here we show for the first time, that MDP can protect immunogenic neutralizing epitopes in picornaviruses. MDP protects epitopes in Polio Virus 1 and 2 Sabin strains (PV1-S and PV2-S, respectively), but viral genomic RNA is not protected during supralethal irradiation. IR-inactivated Sabin viruses stimulated equivalent or improved neutralizing antibody responses in Wistar rats compared to the commercially used IPV products. Our approach reduces the biosecurity risk of the current PV vaccine production method by utilizing the Sabin strains instead of the wild type neurovirulent strains. Additionally, the IR-inactivation approach could provide a simpler, faster and less costly process for producing a more immunogenic IPV. Gamma-irradiation is a well-known method of virus inactivation and this vaccine approach could be adapted to any pathogen of interest.

T-cell recognition of prostatic peptides in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

PURPOSE: A potential etiology of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is autoimmunity. We determined whether T cells from men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome would recognize peptides derived from the normal self-prostatic proteins prostate specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CD4 T cells purified from peripheral blood of 31 patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and from the buffy coat preparation of 27 normal male blood donors were stimulated in vitro with a panel of immunogenic peptides from prostate specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase, and assayed for reactivity with the peptides by interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay. Intermediate resolution HLA typing was done by polymerase chain reaction. Peptides were also tested by binding assay against different class II alleles. RESULTS: Peptide PAP(173-192) was recognized more frequently by CD4 T cells from patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome than from healthy donors. The recognition of prostate specific antigen peptides was not statistically different when comparing cases to normal male blood donors individually. Peptide reactivity was more common in patients than in normal male blood donors for any prostate specific antigen peptide or any tested peptide. All peptides showed high promiscuity on binding assays. There was no association of cases with any specific HLA class II phenotype at intermediate resolution. CONCLUSIONS: CD4 T cells from patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome have a higher rate of recognizing the self-prostatic proteins prostatic acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen compared to those from normal male blood donors. Data provide further evidence to support the role of autoimmunity in some men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Capture and display of antibodies secreted by hybridoma cells enables fluorescent on-cell screening.

Hybridoma methods for monoclonal antibody (mAb) cloning are a mainstay of biomedical research, but they are hindered by the need to maintain hybridomas in oligoclonal pools during antibody screening. Here, we describe a system in which hybridomas specifically capture and display the mAbs they secrete: On-Cell mAb Screening (OCMS™). In OCMS™, mAbs displayed on the cell surface can be rapidly assayed for expression level and binding specificity using fluorescent antigens with high-content (image-based) methods or flow cytometry. OCMS™ demonstrated specific mAb binding to poliovirus and rabies virus by forming a cell surface IgG "cap", as a universal assay for anti-viral mAbs. We produced and characterized OCMS™-enabled hybridomas secreting mAbs that neutralize poliovirus and used fluorescence microscopy to identify and clone a human mAb specific for the human N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Lastly, we used OCMS™ to assess expression and antigen binding of a recombinant mAb produced in 293T cells. As a novel method to physically associate mAbs with the hybridomas that secrete them, OCMS™ overcomes a central challenge to hybridoma mAb screening and offers new paradigms for mAb discovery and production.

The binding sites for the very low density lipoprotein receptor and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein are shared within coagulation factor VIII.

Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) is a ligand for two members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) and low-density lipoprotein receptor, which cooperate in regulating clearance of FVIII from the circulation. This study was aimed to explore the mechanism of interaction of FVIII with very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), another member of the family, and map receptor-binding sites. Binding of plasma-derived FVIII and its fragments to recombinant soluble ectodomain of VLDLR (sVLDLR) was studied in solid-phase and surface plasmon resonance assays. Full-length FVIII and its light chain bound to sVLDLR with similar affinities (KD = 114 +/- 14 and 95 +/- 11 nmol/l, respectively); in contrast, exposure of high-affinity VLDLR-binding site within the heavy chain (KD = 30 +/- 2 nmol/l) required proteolytic cleavage by thrombin. The VLDLR-binding sites within heavy and light chains were mapped to the A2 domain residues 484-509 and the A3-C1 fragment, based on the inhibitory effects of anti-A2 monoclonal antibody 413 and anti-A3-C1 antibody fragment scFv KM33, respectively, previously shown to inhibit FVIII/LRP interaction. Soluble ligand-binding fragment of VLDLR inhibited activation of factor X by the intrinsic Xase in purified system. In cell culture, a higher Xase activity was associated with wild-type human embryonic kidney cells compared with transfected cells that express VLDLR on the cell surface. We conclude that the binding sites for VLDLR and LRP within FVIII overlap and the A2 site becomes exposed upon physiological activation of FVIII. A functional role of FVIII/VLDLR interaction may be related to regulation of intrinsic Xase activity.

Characterization of human monoclonal antibodies that neutralize multiple poliovirus serotypes.

Following the eradication of wild poliovirus (PV), achieving and maintaining a polio-free status will require eliminating potentially pathogenic PV strains derived from the oral attenuated vaccine. For this purpose, a combination of non-cross-resistant drugs, such as small molecules and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), may be ideal. We previously isolated chimpanzee and human mAbs capable of neutralizing multiple PV types (cross-neutralization). Here, we describe three additional human mAbs that neutralize types 1 and 2 PV and one mAb that neutralizes all three types. Most bind conformational epitopes and have unusually long heavy chain complementarity determining 3 domains (HC CDR3). We assessed the ability of the mAbs to neutralize A12 escape mutant PV strains, and found that the neutralizing activities of the mAbs were disrupted by different amino acid substitutions. Competitive binding studies further suggested that the specific mAb:PV interactions that enable cross-neutralization differ among mAbs and serotypes. All of the cloned mAbs bind PV in the vicinity of the "canyon", a circular depression around the 5-fold axis of symmetry through which PV recognizes its cellular receptor. We were unable to generate escape mutants to two of the mAbs, suggesting that their epitopes are important for the PV life cycle. These data indicate that PV cross-neutralization involves binding to highly conserved structures within the canyon that binds to the cellular receptor. These may be facilitated by the long HC CDR3 domains, which may adopt alternative binding configurations. We propose that the human and chimpanzee mAbs described here could have potential as anti-PV therapeutics.

Fluorescence Adherence Inhibition Assay: A Novel Functional Assessment of Blocking Virus Attachment by Vaccine-Induced Antibodies.

Neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccination or natural infection play a critically important role in protection against the viral diseases. In general, neutralization of the viral infection occurs via two major pathways: pre- and post-attachment modes, the first being the most important for such infections as influenza and polio, the latter being significant for filoviruses. Neutralizing capacity of antibodies is typically evaluated by virus neutralization assays that assess reduction of viral infectivity to the target cells in the presence of functional antibodies. Plaque reduction neutralization test, microneutralization and immunofluorescent assays are often used as gold standard virus neutralization assays. However, these methods are associated with several important prerequisites such as use of live virus requiring safety precautions, tedious evaluation procedure and long assessment time. Hence, there is a need for a robust, inexpensive high throughput functional assay that can be performed rapidly using inactivated virus, without extensive safety precautions. Herein, we report a novel high throughput Fluorescence Adherence Inhibition assay (fADI) using inactivated virus labeled with fluorescent secondary antibodies virus and Vero cells or erythrocytes as targets. It requires only few hours to assess pre-attachment neutralizing capacity of donor sera. fADI assay was tested successfully on donors immunized with polio, yellow fever and influenza vaccines. To further simplify and improve the throughput of the assay, we have developed a mathematical approach for calculating the 50% titers from a single sample dilution, without the need to analyze multi-point titration curves. Assessment of pre- and post-vaccination human sera from subjects immunized with IPOL®, YF-VAX® and 2013-2014 Fluzone® vaccines demonstrated high efficiency of the assay. The results correlated very well with microneutralization assay performed independently by the FDA Center of Biologics Evaluation and Research, with plaque reduction neutralization test performed by Focus Diagnostics, and with hemaglutination inhibition assay performed in-house at Sanofi Pasteur. Taken together, fADI assay appears to be a useful high throughput functional immunoassay for assessment of antibody-related neutralization of the viral infections for which pre-attachment neutralization pathway is predominant, such as polio, influenza, yellow fever and dengue.