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Refining the balance of attenuation and immunogenicity of respiratory syncytial virus by targeted codon deoptimization of virulence genes.

ABSTRACT: UNLABELLED:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important pathogen for lower respiratory tract illness in children for which there is no licensed vaccine. Live-attenuated RSV vaccines are the most clinically advanced in children, but achieving an optimal balance of attenuation and immunogenicity is challenging. One way to potentially retain or enhance immunogenicity of attenuated virus is to mutate virulence genes that suppress host immune responses. The NS1 and NS2 virulence genes of the RSV A2 strain were codon deoptimized according to either human or virus codon usage bias, and the resulting recombinant viruses (dNSh and dNSv, respectively) were rescued by reverse genetics. RSV dNSh exhibited the desired phenotype of reduced NS1 and NS2 expression. RSV dNSh was attenuated in BEAS-2B and primary differentiated airway epithelial cells but not in HEp-2 or Vero cells. In BALB/c mice, RSV dNSh exhibited a lower viral load than did A2, and yet it induced slightly higher levels of RSV-neutralizing antibodies than did A2. RSV A2 and RSV dNSh induced equivalent protection against challenge strains A/1997/12-35 and A2-line19F. RSV dNSh caused less STAT2 degradation and less NF-?B activation than did A2 in vitro. Serial passage of RSV dNSh in BEAS-2B cells did not result in mutations in the deoptimized sequences. Taken together, RSV dNSh was moderately attenuated, more immunogenic, and equally protective compared to wild-type RSV and genetically stable. IMPORTANCE:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of infant viral death in the United States and worldwide, and no vaccine is available. Live-attenuated RSV vaccines are the most studied in children but have suffered from genetic instability and low immunogenicity. In order to address both obstacles, we selectively changed the codon usage of the RSV nonstructural (NS) virulence genes NS1 and NS2 to the least-used codons in the human genome (deoptimization). Compared to parental RSV, the codon-deoptimized NS1/NS2 RSV was attenuated in vitro and in mice but induced higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and equivalent protection against challenge. We identified a new attenuating module that retains immunogenicity and is genetically stable, achieved through specific targeting of nonessential virulence genes by codon usage deoptimization.

SUBMITTER: Meng J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4173764 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Refining the balance of attenuation and immunogenicity of respiratory syncytial virus by targeted codon deoptimization of virulence genes.

Meng Jia J Lee Sujin S Hotard Anne L AL Moore Martin L ML

mBio 20140923 5

<h4>Unlabelled</h4>Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important pathogen for lower respiratory tract illness in children for which there is no licensed vaccine. Live-attenuated RSV vaccines are the most clinically advanced in children, but achieving an optimal balance of attenuation and immunogenicity is challenging. One way to potentially retain or enhance immunogenicity of attenuated virus is to mutate virulence genes that suppress host immune responses. The NS1 and NS2 virulence ge ...[more]

PMID: 25249281

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Project description:Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during the large epidemics in the Americas is related to congenital abnormities or fetal demise. To date, there is no vaccine, antiviral drug, or other modality available to prevent or treat Zika virus infection. Here we designed novel live attenuated ZIKV vaccine candidates using a codon pair deoptimization strategy. Three codon pair-deoptimized ZIKVs (Min E, Min NS1, and Min E+NS1) were de novo synthesized and recovered by reverse genetics and contained large amounts of underrepresented codon pairs in the E gene and/or NS1 gene. The amino acid sequence was 100% unchanged. The codon pair-deoptimized variants had decreased replication fitness in Vero cells (Min NS1 ? Min E > Min E+NS1), replicated more efficiently in insect cells than in mammalian cells, and demonstrated diminished virulence in a mouse model. In particular, Min E+NS1, the most restrictive variant, induced sterilizing immunity with a robust neutralizing antibody titer, and a single immunization achieved complete protection against lethal challenge and vertical ZIKV transmission during pregnancy. More importantly, due to the numerous synonymous substitutions in the codon pair-deoptimized strains, reversion to wild-type virulence through gradual nucleotide sequence mutations is unlikely. Our results collectively demonstrate that ZIKV can be effectively attenuated by codon pair deoptimization, highlighting the potential of Min E+NS1 as a safe vaccine candidate to prevent ZIKV infections.IMPORTANCE Due to unprecedented epidemics of Zika virus (ZIKV) across the Americas and the unexpected clinical symptoms, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, microcephaly, and other birth defects in humans, there is an urgent need for ZIKV vaccine development. Here we provided the first attenuated versions of ZIKV with two important genes (E and/or NS1) that were subjected to codon pair deoptimization. Compared to parental ZIKV, the codon pair-deoptimized ZIKVs were mammal attenuated and preferred insect to mammalian cells. Min E+NS1, the most restrictive variant, induced sterilizing immunity with a robust neutralizing antibody titer and achieved complete protection against lethal challenge and vertical virus transmission during pregnancy. More importantly, the massive synonymous mutational approach made it impossible for the variant to revert to wild-type virulence. Our results have proven the feasibility of codon pair deoptimization as a strategy to develop live attenuated vaccine candidates against flaviviruses such as ZIKV, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus.

Project description:UnlabelledInfluenza viral infection represents a serious public health problem that causes contagious respiratory disease, which is most effectively prevented through vaccination to reduce transmission and future infection. The nonstructural (NS) gene of influenza A virus encodes an mRNA transcript that is alternatively spliced to express two viral proteins, the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) and the nuclear export protein (NEP). The importance of the NS gene of influenza A virus for viral replication and virulence has been well described and represents an attractive target to generate live attenuated influenza viruses with vaccine potential. Considering that most amino acids can be synthesized from several synonymous codons, this study employed the use of misrepresented mammalian codons (codon deoptimization) for the de novo synthesis of a viral NS RNA segment based on influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) (PR8) virus. We generated three different recombinant influenza PR8 viruses containing codon-deoptimized synonymous mutations in coding regions comprising the entire NS gene or the mRNA corresponding to the individual viral protein NS1 or NEP, without modifying the respective splicing and packaging signals of the viral segment. The fitness of these synthetic viruses was attenuated in vivo, while they retained immunogenicity, conferring both homologous and heterologous protection against influenza A virus challenges. These results indicate that influenza viruses can be effectively attenuated by synonymous codon deoptimization of the NS gene and open the possibility of their use as a safe vaccine to prevent infections with these important human pathogens.ImportanceVaccination serves as the best therapeutic option to protect humans against influenza viral infections. However, the efficacy of current influenza vaccines is suboptimal, and novel approaches are necessary for the prevention of disease cause by this important human respiratory pathogen. The nonstructural (NS) gene of influenza virus encodes both the multifunctional nonstructural protein 1 (NS1), essential for innate immune evasion, and the nuclear export protein (NEP), required for the nuclear export of viral ribonucleoproteins and for timing of the virus life cycle. Here, we have generated a recombinant influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) (PR8) virus containing a codon-deoptimized NS segment that is attenuated in vivo yet retains immunogenicity and protection efficacy against homologous and heterologous influenza virus challenges. These results open the exciting possibility of using this NS codon deoptimization methodology alone or in combination with other approaches for the future development of vaccine candidates to prevent influenza viral infections.

Project description:Recoding viral genomes by introducing numerous synonymous nucleotide substitutions that create suboptimal codon pairs provides new live-attenuated vaccine candidates. Because recoding typically involves a large number of nucleotide substitutions, the risk of de-attenuation is presumed to be low. However, this has not been thoroughly studied. We previously generated human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in which the NS1, NS2, N, P, M and SH ORFs were codon-pair deoptimized (CPD) by 695 synonymous nucleotide changes (Min A virus). Min A exhibited a global reduction in transcription and protein synthesis, was restricted for replication in vitro and in vivo, and exhibited moderate temperature sensitivity. Here, we show that under selective pressure by serial passage at progressively increasing temperatures, Min A regained replication fitness and lost its temperature sensitivity. Whole-genome deep sequencing identified numerous missense mutations in several genes, in particular ones accumulating between codons 25 and 34 of the phosphoprotein (P), a polymerase cofactor and chaperone. When re-introduced into Min A, these P mutations restored viral transcription to wt level, resulting in increased protein expression and RNA replication. Molecular dynamic simulations suggested that these P mutations increased the flexibility of the N-terminal domain of P, which might facilitate its interaction with the nucleoprotein N, and increase the functional efficiency of the RSV transcription/replication complex. Finally, we evaluated the effect of the P mutations on Min A replication and immunogenicity in hamsters. Mutation P[F28V] paradoxically reduced Min A replication but not its immunogenicity. The further addition of one missense mutation each in M and L generated a version of Min A with increased genetic stability. Thus, this study provides further insight into the adaptability of large-scale recoded RNA viruses under selective pressure and identified an improved CPD RSV vaccine candidate.

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Refining the balance of attenuation and immunogenicity of respiratory syncytial virus by targeted codon deoptimization of virulence genes.

Publications

Refining the balance of attenuation and immunogenicity of respiratory syncytial virus by targeted codon deoptimization of virulence genes.

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