Michele A. Zacks

Superior efficacy of a recombinant flagellin:H5N1 HA globular head vaccine is determined by the placement of the globular head within flagellin

Transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) between birds and humans is an ongoing threat that holds potential for the emergence of a pandemic influenza strain. A major barrier to an effective vaccine against avian influenza has been the generally poor immunopotency of many of the HPAI strains coupled with the manufacturing constraints employing conventional methodologies. Fusion of flagellin, a toll-like receptor-5 ligand, to vaccine antigens has been shown to enhance the immune response to the fused antigen in preclinical studies. Here, we have evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of a panel of flagellin-based hemagglutinin (HA) globular head fusion vaccines in inbred mice. The HA globular head of these vaccines is derived from the A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN04; H5N1) HA molecule. We find that replacement of domain D3 of flagellin with the VN04 HA globular head creates a highly effective vaccine that elicits protective HAI titers which protect mice against disease and death in a lethal challenge model.

An overview of chagasic cardiomyopathy: pathogenic importance of oxidative stress

There is growing evidence to suggest that chagasic myocardia are exposed to sustained oxidative stress-induced injuries that may contribute to disease progression. Pathogen invasion- and replication-mediated cellular injuries and immune-mediated cytotoxic reactions are the common source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in infectious etiologies. However, our understanding of the source and role of oxidative stress in chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCM) remains incomplete. In this review, we discuss the evidence for increased oxidative stress in chagasic disease, with emphasis on mitochondrial abnormalities, electron transport chain dysfunction and its role in sustaining oxidative stress in myocardium. We discuss the literature reporting the consequences of sustained oxidative stress in CCM pathogenesis.

Injectable peramivir mitigates disease and promotes survival in ferrets and mice infected with the highly virulent influenza virus, A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1).

The post-exposure therapeutic efficacy of injectable peramivir against highly pathogenic avian influenza type A H5N1 was evaluated in mice and in ferrets. Seventy to eighty percent of the H5N1-infected peramivir-treated mice, and 70% in the oseltamivir treated mice survived the 15-day study period, as compared to 36% in control (vehicle) group. Ferrets were infected intranasally with H5N1 followed by treatment with multiple doses of peramivir. In two of three trials, a statistically significant increase in survival over a 16-18 day period resulted from peramivir treatment, with improved survival of 40-64% in comparison to mock-treated or untreated animals. Injected peramivir mitigates virus-induced disease, reduces infectious virus titers in the lungs and brains and promotes survival in ferrets infected intranasally with this highly neurovirulent isolate. A single intramuscular peramivir injection protected mice against severe disease outcomes following infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza and multi-dose treatment was efficacious in ferrets.

Alpha-beta T cells provide protection against lethal encephalitis in the murine model of VEEV infection

Abstract We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a chimeric alphavirus vaccine candidate in mice with selective immunodeficiencies. This vaccine candidate was highly attenuated in mice with deficiencies in the B and T cell compartments, as well as in mice with deficient gamma-interferon responsiveness. However, the level of protection varied among the strains tested. Wild type mice were protected against lethal VEEV challenge. In contrast, alpha/beta (αβ) TCR-deficient mice developed lethal encephalitis following VEEV challenge, while mice deficient in gamma/delta (γδ) T cells were protected. Surprisingly, the vaccine potency was diminished by 50% in animals lacking interferon-gamma receptor alpha chain (R1)-chain and a minority of vaccinated immunoglobulin heavy chain-deficient (μMT) mice survived challenge, which suggests that neutralizing antibody may not be absolutely required for protection. Prolonged replication of encephalitic VEEV in the brain of pre-immunized mice is not lethal and adoptive transfer experiments indicate that CD3+ T cells are required for protection.

Inhibition of alphavirus infection in cell culture and in mice with antisense morpholino oligomers

Abstract The genus Alphavirus contains members that threaten human health, both as natural pathogens and as potential biological weapons. Peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMO) enter cells readily and can inhibit viral replication through sequence-specific steric blockade of viral RNA. Sindbis virus (SINV) has low pathogenicity in humans and is regularly utilized as a model alphavirus. PPMO targeting the 5′-terminal and AUG translation start site regions of the SINV genome blocked the production of infectious SINV in tissue culture. PPMO designed against corresponding regions in Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) were likewise found to be effective in vitro against several strains of VEEV. Mice treated with PPMO before and after VEEV infection were completely protected from lethal outcome while mice receiving only post-infection PPMO treatment were partially protected. Levels of virus in tissue samples correlated with animal survival. Uninfected mice suffered no apparent ill-effects from PPMO treatment. Thus, PPMO appear promising as candidates for therapeutic development against alphaviruses.

Recent developments in the molecular, biochemical and functional characterization of GPI8 and the GPI-anchoring mechanism [Review]

Glycoconjugates are utilized by eukaryotic organisms ranging from yeast to humans for the cell surface expression of a wide variety of proteins and lipids. These glycoconjugates are expressed as enzymes or receptors and serve a diversity of functions, including cell signaling and cell survival. In parasitic protozoans, glycoconjugates play roles in infectivity, survival, virulence and immune evasion. Among the alternate glycoconjugate structures that have been identified, glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) represent a universal structure for the anchorage of proteins, lipids, and phosphosaccharides to cellular membranes. Biosynthesis of the GPI is a multi-step process that culminates in the attachment of the assembled GPI to a precursor protein. This final step in the transfer of the GPI to a protein is catalyzed by GPI8 of the putative transamidase complex (TAM). GPI8 functions dually to perform the proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminal signal sequence of the precursor protein, followed by the formation of an amide bond between the protein and the ethanolamine phosphate of the GPI. This review summarizes the current aggregate of biochemical, gene-disruption and active site mutagenesis studies, which provide evidence that GPI8 is responsible for the protein-GPI anchoring reaction. We describe recently published studies that have identified other potential components of the TAM complex and that have elucidated their likely role in protein-GPI attachment. Further, we discuss the biochemical, molecular and functional differences between protozoan and mammalian GPI8 and the protein-GPI anchoring machinery. Finally, we will present the implications of these studies for the development of anti-parasite drug therapies.

CD4+ T cells provide protection against acute lethal encephalitis caused by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus

Studying the mechanisms of host survival resulting from viral encephalitis is critical to the development of vaccines. Here we have shown in several independent studies that high dose treatment with neutralizing antibody prior to intranasal infection with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus had an antiviral effect in the visceral organs and prolonged survival time of infected mice, even in the absence of alphabeta T cells. Nevertheless, antibody treatment did not prevent the development of lethal encephalitis. On the contrary, the adoptive transfer of primed CD4(+) T cells was necessary to prevent lethal encephalitis in mice lacking alphabeta T cell receptor.

Novel linear DNA vaccines induce protective immune responses against lethal infection with influenza virus type A/H5N1

Vaccine development for possible influenza pandemics has been challenging. Conventional vaccines such as inactivated and live attenuated virus preparations are limited in terms of production speed and capacity. DNA vaccination has emerged as a potential alternative to conventional vaccines against influenza pandemics. In this study, we use a novel, cell-free DNA manufacturing process (synDNA™) to produce prototype linear DNA vaccines against the influenza virus type A/H5N1. This synDNA™ process does not require bacterial fermentation, so it avoids the use of antibiotic resistance genes and other nucleic acid sequences unrelated to the antigen gene expression in the actual therapeutic DNA construct. The efficacy of various vaccines expressing the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins (H5N1 synDNA™), hemagglutinin alone (H5 synDNA™) or neuraminidase alone (N1 synDNA™) was evaluated in mice. Two of the constructs (H5 synDNA™ and H5N1 synDNA™) induced a robust protective immune response with up to 93% of treated mice surviving a lethal challenge of a virulent influenza A/Vietnam/1203/04 H5N1 isolate. In combination with a potent biological activity and simplified production footprint, these characteristics make DNA vaccines prepared with our synDNA™ process highly suitable as alternatives to other vaccine preparations.

Neuropathology of H5N1 virus infection in ferrets

Highly pathogenic H5N1 virus remains a potential threat to humans. Over 289 fatalities have been reported in WHO confirmed human cases since 2003, and lack of effective vaccines and early treatments contribute to increasing numbers of cases and fatalities. H5N1 encephalitis is a recognized cause of death in Vietnamese cases, and brain pathology is described in other human cases and naturally infected animals. However, neither pathogenesis of H5N1 viral infection in human brain nor post-infection effects in survivors have been fully investigated. We report the brain pathology in a ferret model for active infection and 18-day survival stages. This model closely resembles the infection pattern and progression in human cases of influenza A, and our report is the first description of brain pathology for longer term (18-day) survival in ferrets. We analyzed viral replication, type and severity of meningoencephalitis, infected cell types, and cellular responses to infection. We found viral replication to very high titers in ferret brain, closely correlating with severity of meningoencephalitis. Viral antigens were detected predominantly in neurons, correlating with inflammatory lesions, and less frequently in astrocytes and ependymal cells during active infection. Mononuclear cell infiltrates were observed in early stages predominantly in cerebral cortex, brainstem, and leptomeninges, and less commonly in cerebellum and other areas. Astrogliosis was mild at day 4 post-infection, but robust by day 18. Early and continuous treatment with an antiviral agent (peramivir) inhibited virus production to non-detectable levels, reduced severity of brain injury, and promoted higher survival rates.

Production of IL-8, IL-17, IFN-gamma and IP-10 in human astrocytes correlates with alphavirus attenuation.

Abstract Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an important, naturally emerging zoonotic pathogen. Recent outbreaks in Venezuela and Colombia in 1995 indicate that VEEV still poses a serious public health threat. Astrocytes may be target cells in human and mouse infection and they play an important role in repair through gliosis. In this study, we report that virulent VEEV efficiently infects cultured normal human astrocytes, three different murine astrocyte cell lines and astrocytes in the mouse brain. The attenuation of virus replication positively correlates with the increased levels of production of IL-8, IL-17, IFN-gamma and IP-10. In addition, VEEV infection induces release of basic fibroblast growth factor and production of potent chemokines such as RANTES and MIP-1-beta from cultured human astrocytes. This growth factor and cytokine profile modeled by astrocytes in vitro may contribute to both neuroprotection and repair and may play a role in leukocyte recruitment in vivo.