Project description:We sought to test whether vaccine-induced immune responses could protect rhesus macaques (RMs) against upfront heterologous challenges with an R5 simian-human immunodeficiency virus, SHIV-2873Nip. We immunized the RMs with recombinant Env proteins heterologous to the challenge virus. For induction of immune responses against Gag, Tat, and Nef, we explored a strategy of immunization with overlapping synthetic peptides (OSP). The immune responses against Gag and Tat were finally boosted with recombinant proteins. The vaccinees and a group of ten control animals were given five low-dose intrarectal (i.r.) challenges with SHIV-2873Nip. All controls and seven out of eight vaccinees became systemically infected; there was no significant difference in viremia levels of vaccinees vs. controls. Prevention of viremia was observed in one vaccinee which showed strong boosting of virus-specific cellular immunity during virus exposures. The protected animal showed no challenge virus-specific neutralizing antibodies in the TZM-bl or A3R5 cell-based assays and had low level ADCC activity after the virus exposures. Microarray data strongly supported a role for cellular immunity in the protected animal. Our study represents a case of protection against heterologous tier 2 SHIV-C by vaccine-induced, virus-specific cellular immune responses. For the protected RM, blood was collected before vaccination, on the day of first virus exposure and six weeks after last virus challenge. Lymph node and rectal pinch biopsies were performed before vaccination and six weeks after last virus challenge. Blood was collected in tempus tubes and processed immediately according to the manufacturer’s instructions and stored at -80C. The biopsy specimens were cut into small pieces and immediately placed into RNAlater solution (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) and also stored at -80C. Total RNA from blood, lymph node and rectal biopsies was extracted using RNAeasy extraction kits (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). cDNA labeling, hybridization, staining and scanning were performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) for rhesus gene expression arrays.
Project description:We sought to test whether vaccine-induced immune responses could protect rhesus macaques (RMs) against upfront heterologous challenges with an R5 simian-human immunodeficiency virus, SHIV-2873Nip. We immunized the RMs with recombinant Env proteins heterologous to the challenge virus. For induction of immune responses against Gag, Tat, and Nef, we explored a strategy of immunization with overlapping synthetic peptides (OSP). The immune responses against Gag and Tat were finally boosted with recombinant proteins. The vaccinees and a group of ten control animals were given five low-dose intrarectal (i.r.) challenges with SHIV-2873Nip. All controls and seven out of eight vaccinees became systemically infected; there was no significant difference in viremia levels of vaccinees vs. controls. Prevention of viremia was observed in one vaccinee which showed strong boosting of virus-specific cellular immunity during virus exposures. The protected animal showed no challenge virus-specific neutralizing antibodies in the TZM-bl or A3R5 cell-based assays and had low level ADCC activity after the virus exposures. Microarray data strongly supported a role for cellular immunity in the protected animal. Our study represents a case of protection against heterologous tier 2 SHIV-C by vaccine-induced, virus-specific cellular immune responses.
Project description:Route of immunization can markedly influence the quality of immune response. Here, we show that intradermal (ID) but not intramuscular (IM) modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccinations provide protection from acquisition of intravaginal tier2 SHIV challenges in female macaques. Both routes of vaccination induced comparable levels of serum IgG with neutralizing and non-neutralizing activities. The protection in MVA-ID group correlated positively with serum neutralizing and antibody-dependent phagocytic activities, and envelope-specific vaginal IgA; while the limited protection in MVA-IM group correlated only with serum neutralizing activity. MVA-ID immunizations induced greater germinal center Tfh and B cell responses, reduced the ratio of Th1 to Tfh cells in blood and showed lower activation of intermediate monocytes and inflammasome compared to MVA-IM immunizations. This lower innate activation correlated negatively with induction of Tfh responses. These data demonstrate that the MVA-ID vaccinations protect against intravaginal SHIV challenges by modulating the innate and T helper responses.
Project description:Identifying immune correlates of protection is a major challenge in AIDS vaccine development. Anti-Envelope antibodies have been considered critical against SIV/HIV acquisition. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a SHIV vaccine against SIVmac251 challenge, where the role of antibody was excluded as there was no cross-reactivity between SIV and SHIV Envelope antibodies. After eight low-dose rectal challenges with SIVmac251, 12 SHIV-vaccinated animals demonstrated 83% efficacy, compared to six naïve controls, suggesting protection could be achieved in the absence of anti-Envelope antibodies. Interestingly, CD8+ T cells (and some NK cells) were not essential for the preventing viral acquisition, as none of the CD8-depleted macaques were infected by SIVmac251 challenges. Initial investigation of protective innate immunity revealed that protected animals had elevated pathways related to platelet aggregation/activation, and reduced pathways related to interferon and responses to virus. Moreover, higher expression of platelet factor 4 (PF4) on circulating platelet-leukocyte aggregates was associated with reduced viral acquisition. Our data highlighted the importance of innate immunity and may provide new opportunities for novel HIV vaccines or therapeutic strategy development.
Project description:Identifying immune correlates of protection is a major challenge in AIDS vaccine development. Anti-Envelope antibodies have been considered critical against SIV/HIV acquisition. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a SHIV vaccine against SIVmac251 challenge, where the role of antibody was excluded as there was no cross-reactivity between SIV and SHIV Envelope antibodies. After eight low-dose rectal challenges with SIVmac251, 12 SHIV-vaccinated animals demonstrated 83% efficacy, compared to six naïve controls, suggesting protection could be achieved in the absence of anti-Envelope antibodies. Interestingly, CD8+ T cells (and some NK cells) were not essential for the preventing viral acquisition, as none of the CD8-depleted macaques was infected by SIVmac251 challenges. Initial investigation of protective innate immunity revealed that protected animals had elevated pathways related to platelet aggregation/activation, and reduced pathways related to interferon and responses to virus. Moreover, higher expression of platelet factor 4 (PF4) on circulating platelet-leukocyte aggregates was associated with reduced viral acquisition. Our data highlighted the importance of innate immunity and may provide new opportunities for novel HIV vaccines or therapeutic strategy development.
Project description:Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination can confer non-specific protection against heterologous pathogens. However, the underlying mechanisms remain mysterious. We used scRNA-seq in this study to identify transcriptional changes in the immune and epithelial cells in the lungs following BCG vaccination in mice
Project description:Cross-protective effects of certain vaccines against heterologous infections have been reported, and long-term boosting of innate immunity (also termed trained immunity) has been proposed as the underlying mechanism. Several epidemiological studies suggested cross-protection between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 during the current pandemic. Influenza vaccine responses included significant transcriptional reprogramming of monocytes, while systemic inflammation was reduced. These epidemiological and immunological data argue for a potential beneficial effect of influenza vaccination against COVID-19.
Project description:After a century of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, our understanding of its protection against homologous (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) or heterologous (e.g. influenza virus) infections is still limited. Here we show that systemic (intravenous) BCG vaccination (BCG-iv) provides significant protection against subsequent influenza A virus (IAV) infection in mice. We further demonstrate that the BCG-mediated cross-protection against IAV is largely due to the enrichment of conventional CD4+ αβ effector memory T cells that express high levels of CX3CR1hi in circulation trafficking into the lung parenchyma. Importantly, pulmonary CX3CR1hi T cells limit early viral infection in an antigen-independent manner via potent IFNγ production, which subsequently enhances long-term antimicrobial activity of the innate immune system like alveolar macrophages. Similarly, we uncover a prominent IFNγ signature in which its increased basal production was associated with enhanced BCG-mediated heterologous innate memory responses in BCG-vaccinated humans. These results offer insight into the unknown mechanism by which BCG has persistently displayed broad protection against non-tuberculous infections via a crosstalk between adaptive and innate memory responses.
Project description:Heterologous ChAdOx1-BNT162b2 vaccination induces a stronger immune response than two doses of BNT162b2. Yet, the molecular transcriptome, the germline allelic variants of immunoglobulin loci and anti-Omicron antibody levels induced by the heterologous vaccination have not been formally investigated. Moreover, there is a paucity of COVID-19 vaccine studies including diverse genetic populations. Here, we show a robust molecular immune transcriptome and antibody repertoire in 46 office and lab workers from the Republic of Korea after heterologous vaccination, ChAdOx1 followed by BNT162b2. Anti-spike-specific IgG antibody levels against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain increased from 70 AU/ml immediately following the first vaccination to 14,000 U/ml within three days after the second vaccination and 142,000 AU/ml after seven days. Antibody titers against more recent variants, including Omicron, were two- to three-fold lower, yet higher than those obtained after the second dose of a BNT162b2-BNT162b2 homologous vaccination. RNA-seq conducted on peripheral immune cells demonstrated a strong activation of interferon-induced genetic programs in the heterologous cohort and an increase of specific IGHV clonal transcripts encoding neutralizing antibodies was detected. Enrichment of B cell and CD4+ T cell responses was observed following both ChAdOx1-BNT162b2 heterologous and BNT162b2-BNT162b2 homologous vaccination using scRNA-seq, but clonally expanded memory B cells were relatively stronger in the heterologous cohort. In summary, a heterologous vaccination with ChAdOx1 followed by BNT162b2 provides an innate and adaptive immune response exceeding that seen in homologous BNT162b2 vaccination.