scholarly journals Safety and Immunogenicity of a 4-Component Toxoid-Based Staphylococcus aureus Vaccine in Rhesus Macaques

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arundhathi Venkatasubramaniam ◽  
Grant Liao ◽  
Eunice Cho ◽  
Rajan P. Adhikari ◽  
Tom Kort ◽  
...  

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of significant morbidity and mortality and an enormous economic burden to public health worldwide. Infections caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) pose a major threat as MRSA strains are becoming increasingly prevalent and multi-drug resistant. To this date, vaccines targeting surface-bound antigens demonstrated promising results in preclinical testing but have failed in clinical trials. S. aureus pathogenesis is in large part driven by immune destructive and immune modulating toxins and thus represent promising vaccine targets. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a staphylococcal 4-component vaccine targeting secreted bi-component pore-forming toxins (BCPFTs) and superantigens (SAgs) in non-human primates (NHPs). The 4-component vaccine proved to be safe, even when repeated vaccinations were given at a dose that is 5 to 10- fold higher than the proposed human dose. Vaccinated rhesus macaques did not exhibit clinical signs, weight loss, or changes in hematology or serum chemistry parameters related to the administration of the vaccine. No acute, vaccine-related elevation of serum cytokine levels was observed after vaccine administration, confirming the toxoid components lacked superantigenicity. Immunized animals demonstrated high level of toxin-specific total and neutralizing antibodies toward target antigens of the 4-component vaccine as well as cross-neutralizing activity toward staphylococcal BCPFTs and SAgs that are not direct targets of the vaccine. Cross-neutralization was also observed toward the heterologous streptococcal pyogenic exotoxin B. Ex vivo stimulation of PBMCs with individual vaccine components demonstrated an overall increase in several T cell cytokines measured in supernatants. Immunophenotyping of CD4 T cells ex vivo showed an increase in Ag-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cells in response to antigen stimulation. Taken together, we demonstrate that the 4-component vaccine is well-tolerated and immunogenic in NHPs generating both humoral and cellular immune responses. Targeting secreted toxin antigens could be the next-generation vaccine approach for staphylococcal vaccines if also proven to provide efficacy in humans.

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (8) ◽  
pp. 3845-3856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Pistello ◽  
Francesca Bonci ◽  
Elisa Zabogli ◽  
Francesca Conti ◽  
Giulia Freer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The envelope (Env) glycoproteins of HIV and other lentiviruses possess neutralization and other protective epitopes, yet all attempts to induce protective immunity using Env as the only immunogen have either failed or afforded minimal levels of protection. In a novel prime-boost approach, specific-pathogen-free cats were primed with a plasmid expressing Env of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and then boosted with their own T lymphocytes transduced ex vivo to produce the same Env and interleukin 15 (3 × 106 to 10 × 106 viable cells/cat). After the boost, the vaccinees developed elevated immune responses, including virus-neutralizing antibodies (NA). Challenge with an ex vivo preparation of FIV readily infected all eight control cats (four mock vaccinated and four naïve) and produced a marked decline in the proportion of peripheral CD4 T cells. In contrast, five of seven vaccinees showed little or no traces of infection, and the remaining two had reduced viral loads and underwent no changes in proportions of CD4 T cells. Interestingly, the viral loads of the vaccinees were inversely correlated to the titers of NA. The findings support the concept that Env is a valuable immunogen but needs to be administered in a way that permits the expression of its full protective potential.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim J Hasenkrug ◽  
Friederike Feldmann ◽  
Lara Myers ◽  
Mario L Santiago ◽  
Kejun Guo ◽  
...  

Severe COVID-19 has been associated with T cell lymphopenia 1,2, but no causal effect of T cell deficiency on disease severity has been established. To investigate the specific role of T cells in recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infections we studied rhesus macaques that were depleted of either CD4+, CD8+ or both T cell subsets prior to infection. Peak virus loads were similar in all groups, but the resolution of virus in the T cell-depleted animals was slightly delayed compared to controls. The T cell-depleted groups developed virus-neutralizing antibody responses and also class-switched to IgG. When re-infected six weeks later, the T cell-depleted animals showed anamnestic immune responses characterized by rapid induction of high-titer virus-neutralizing antibodies, faster control of virus loads and reduced clinical signs. These results indicate that while T cells play a role in the recovery of rhesus macaques from acute SARS-CoV-2 infections, their depletion does not induce severe disease, and T cells do not account for the natural resistance of rhesus macaques to severe COVID-19. Neither primed CD4+ or CD8+ T cells appeared critical for immunoglobulin class switching, the development of immunological memory or protection from a second infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhianna Jones ◽  
Kyle Kroll ◽  
Courtney Broedlow ◽  
Luca Schifanella ◽  
Scott Smith ◽  
...  

AbstractHIV/SIV infections lead to massive loss of mucosal CD4 + T cells and breakdown of the epithelial mucosa resulting in severe microbial dysbiosis and chronic immune activation that ultimately drive disease progression. Moreover, disruption of one of the most understudied mucosal environments, the oral cavity, during HIV-induced immunosuppression results in significant microbial and neoplastic co-morbidities and contributes to and predicts distal disease complications. In this study we evaluated the effects of oral probiotic supplementation (PBX), which can stimulate and augment inflammatory or anti-inflammatory pathways, on early SIV infection of rhesus macaques. Our study revealed that similar to the GI mucosae, oral CD4 + T cells were rapidly depleted, and as one of the first comprehensive analyses of the oral microflora in SIV infection, we also observed significant modulation among two genera, Porphyromonas and Actinobacillus, early after infection. Interestingly, although PBX therapy did not substantially protect against oral dysbiosis or ameliorate cell loss, it did somewhat dampen inflammation and T cell activation. Collectively, these data provide one of the most comprehensive evaluations of SIV-induced changes in oral microbiome and CD4 + T cell populations, and also suggest that oral PBX may have some anti-inflammatory properties in lentivirus infections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwani Kesarwani ◽  
Parul Sahu ◽  
Kshama Jain ◽  
Prakriti Sinha ◽  
K. Varsha Mohan ◽  
...  

AbstractDue to the limited utility of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG), the only approved vaccine available for tuberculosis, there is a need to develop a more effective and safe vaccine. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a dry powder aerosol (DPA) formulation of BCG encapsulated alginate particle (BEAP) and the conventional intradermal BCG immunization in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). The infant macaques were immunized intratracheally with DPA of BEAP into the lungs. Animals were monitored for their growth, behaviour, any adverse and allergic response. The protective efficacy of BEAP was estimated by the ex-vivo H37Rv infection method. Post-immunization with BEAP, granulocytes count, weight gain, chest radiography, levels of liver secreted enzymes, cytokines associated with inflammation like TNF and IL-6 established that BEAP is non-toxic and it does not elicit an allergic response. The T cells isolated from BEAP immunized animals’ blood, upon stimulation with M.tb antigen, secreted high levels of IFN-γ, TNF, IL-6 and IL-2. The activated T cells from BEAP group, when co-cultured with M.tb infected macrophages, eliminated largest number of infected macrophages compared to the BCG and control group. This study suggests the safety and efficacy of BEAP in Non-human primate model.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. e19607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong He ◽  
Pramod N. Nehete ◽  
Bharti Nehete ◽  
Eric Wieder ◽  
Guojun Yang ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-101
Author(s):  
Monica Vuță ◽  
Ionela-Maria Cotoi ◽  
Ion Bogdan Mănescu ◽  
Doina Ramona Manu ◽  
Minodora Dobreanu

Abstract Objective: In vitro cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is an important and reliable measure of immunocompetence. PBMC can be stimulated directly after isolation or frozen for later use. However, cryopreservation may affect cell recovery, viability and functionality. This study aims to investigate cytokine synthesis in ex-vivo stimulated fresh and cryopreserved CD4+ and CD4- T cells. Methods: PBMCs were obtained by Ficoll gradient centrifugation from heparinized peripheral blood of 6 middle-aged clinically healthy subjects. Half of these cells (labeled “Fresh”) was further processed and the other half (labeled “Cryo”) was cryopreserved at -140°C for up to 3 months. Fresh-PBMCs were activated with Phorbol-Myristate-Acetate/Ionomycin/Monensin for 5 hours immediately after isolation while Cryo-PBMCs were identically activated after thawing and cell resting. Activated cells were fixed, permeabilized and intracellular cytokine staining was performed using Phycoerythrin (PE)-conjugated antibodies for Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-a), and Interferon-gamma (IFN-g). All samples were analyzed within 24 hours by flow cytometry. Results: Both Fresh and Cryo CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD4- sub-populations partially produced each of the three cytokines. A higher percentage of CD4+ T cells produced IL-2 and TNF-a and a greater percentage of CD4- T cells were found to produce IFN-g. A significantly higher percentage of Cryo-lymphocytes was shown to produce TNF-a in both CD3+CD4+ (31.4% vs 24.9%, p=0.031) and CD3+CD4- (22.7% vs 17.9%, p=0.031) subpopulations. No notable difference was found for IL-2 and IFN-g production between Fresh and Cryo T cells. Conclusion: Cryopreservation for up to 3 months significantly increases TNF-a production of T-cells in clinically healthy middle-aged subjects.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Vollbrecht ◽  
Aaron O. Angerstein ◽  
Bryson Menke ◽  
Nikesh M. Kumar ◽  
Michelli Faria Oliveira ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundA reservoir of replication-competent but latent virus is the main obstacle to a cure for HIV-infection. Much of this reservoir resides in memory CD4 T cells. We hypothesized that these cells can be reactivated with antigens from HIV and other common pathogens to reverse latency. ResultsWe obtained mononuclear cells from the peripheral blood of antiretroviral-treated patients with suppressed viremia. We tested pools of peptides and proteins derived from HIV and from other pathogens including CMV for their ability to reverse latency ex vivo by activation of memory responses. We assessed activation of the CD4 T cells by measuring the up-regulation of cell-surface CD69. We assessed HIV-expression using two assays: a real-time PCR assay for virion-associated viral RNA and a droplet digital PCR assay for cell-associated, multiply spliced viral mRNA. Reversal of latency occurred in a minority of cells from some participants, but no single antigen induced HIV-expression ex vivo consistently. When reversal of latency was induced by a specific peptide pool or protein, the extent was proportionally greater than that of T cell activation. ConclusionsIn this group of patients in whom antiretroviral therapy was started during chronic infection, the latent reservoir does not appear to consistently reside in CD4 T cells of a predominant antigen-specificity. Peptide-antigens reversed HIV-latency ex vivo with modest and variable activity. When latency was reversed by specific peptides or proteins, it was proportionally greater than the extent of T cell activation, suggesting partial enrichment of the latent reservoir in cells of specific antigen-reactivity.


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