A Sequence Listing in ASCII text format, submitted under 37 C.F.R. § 1.821, entitled 5470-844WO_ST25.txt, 534,075 bytes in size, generated on Aug. 6, 2020 and filed via EFS-Web, is provided in lieu of a paper copy. This Sequence Listing is hereby incorporated herein by reference into the specification for its disclosures
The present invention is directed to recombinant stabilized flavivirus E glycoproteins that induce neutralizing antibodies against quaternary epitopes and form dimers in physiological, e.g., vaccine, conditions.
Vaccine control of dengue virus (DENV), a member of the flavivirus family, has remained elusive. About 25% of the ˜400 million annual DENV infections worldwide result in severe clinical manifestations, necessitating effective vaccine control of DENV. A substantial challenge in eliminating DENV infections is the prevalence of four DENV serotypes, each capable of eliciting both unique, serotype-specific and DENV cross-reactive immune responses upon infection. Some responses, such as the immune response following a first or “primary” infection with one DENV serotype, can lead to lifelong protection against that serotype. However, all four DENV serotypes co-circulate in the same regions and are transmitted by the same A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquito vectors, which allows for infections of the same individual by a different DENV serotype. These secondary DENV infections can result in severe and sometimes lethal disease symptoms, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock syndromes. A supported hypothesis for the cause of these severe dengue clinical manifestations is through increased viral burden caused by antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), where a population of non-neutralizing cross-reactive antibodies elicited from the primary DENV infection are able to bind to the DENV serotype present in the second infection, allowing for Fc-receptor mediated endocytosis of the virus by macrophages thus enhancing the infection through increased replication of the virus. Despite these challenges, advancements have been made with multiple live-attenuated dengue vaccines including the only approved dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia (Rey et al., 2018 EMBO Rep. 19:206-224; Thomas and Yoon, 2019 Hum. Vaccines Immunother. 15:2295-2314), and several others in late stage clinical trials. Dengvaxia has proven capable of providing protection to people who have overcome a primary dengue infection against a secondary dengue infection. However, it is evidenced that vaccinating individuals who have had no prior dengue infections increases their risk of developing severe clinical manifestations of dengue, which is suggested to be caused by ADE. These observations highlight the difficulty of vaccine mediated control of dengue infection and the need for more targeted vaccination strategies to prevent DENV infections.
Characterization of antibodies elicited by DENV infected individuals reveal that the DENV envelope protein is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies, which has led to a large body of work in assessing the immunogenicity and efficacy of this protein as a subunit vaccine. While promising, E protein-based subunit vaccines have only had limited success in clinical trials. Recently, it has been appreciated that antibodies that target quaternary epitopes, present within a single E dimer and across multiple dimers in the E dimer lipid raft, are potently neutralizing and provide protection against DENV infection.
Previous work has shown that the DENV2 soluble E protein dimer has a homodimer Kd of 12 μM at 37° C., which is too weak to be relevant under vaccination conditions and limits its current use as a vaccine antigen by reducing the presentation of critical quaternary epitopes. The present invention overcomes shortcomings in the art by providing flavivirus E glycoproteins that retain dimer conformation at physiological conditions and can be expressed without co-expression of pr, allowing for safer vaccines.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein, comprising a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone and an amino acid substitution selected from the group consisting of 2M, 6L, 8L, 9V, 13F, 14A, 15E, 27P, 29Y, 29K, 32V, 33V, 34L, 35M, 44M, 44L, 48I, 106D, 107C, 131I, 144Y, 154L, 154M, 191Y, 198W, 204F, 205L, 206F, 209D, 244Q, 244F, 246I, 246Y, 251F, 255E, 256Y, 258A, 258E, 259V, 259W, 259C, 260L, 261L, 261F, 262H, 262R, 262Y, 263W, 263L, 266W, 270V, 277M, 279W, 280A, 280P, 289W, 299L, 313C, 316M, 330A, 359Y, 373D, 375L, 377V, 386I, 390Q, 392R, 393R, and/or any combination thereof (e.g., amino acid substitutions shown in Table 1 and/or Table 2), wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer comprising two stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoproteins of the present invention.
Additionally provided herein is a dengue virus particle, a flavivirus particle and/or a virus like particle (VLP) comprising the E glycoprotein of this invention.
An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the E glycoprotein of this invention is also provided herein, as well as an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the dengue virus particle, flavivirus particle or VLP of this invention.
The present invention also provides a composition comprising the E glycoprotein of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and also provides a composition comprising the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the vector of this invention, the particle of this invention and/or the population of this invention, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
The present invention also provides a method of producing a virus like particle (VLP) comprising the E glycoprotein of the present invention, wherein the method does not comprise co-expression of pr.
The present invention further provides the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the dengue virus particle of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the vector of this invention, the population of this invention and/or the composition of this invention, singly or in any combination, for use in the manufacture of a medicament for producing an immune response to a flavivirus in a subject, for treating a flavivirus infection in a subject in need thereof, for preventing a flavivirus infection in a subject and/or for protecting a subject from the effects of flavivirus infection, and/or for use in any of the methods as disclosed herein.
Also provided herein is the use of the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the dengue virus particle of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the vector of this invention, the population of this invention and/or the composition of this invention, singly or in any combination, for use in producing an immune response to a flavivirus in a subject, in treating a flavivirus infection in a subject in need thereof, in preventing a flavivirus infection in a subject and/or in protecting a subject from the effects of flavivirus infection, and/or for use in any of the methods as disclosed herein.
Also provided herein is a method of producing an immune response to a flavivirus in a subject (e.g., a subject in need thereof), comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the population of this invention, and/or the composition of this invention and any combination thereof.
Additionally provided herein is a method of treating a flavivirus infection in a subject (e.g., a subject in need thereof), comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the population of this invention, and/or the composition of this invention and any combination thereof.
Further provided herein is a method of preventing a disorder associated with flavivirus infection in a subject (e.g., a subject in need thereof), comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the population of this invention, and/or the composition of this invention and any combination thereof.
As an additional aspect, the present invention provides a method of protecting a subject from the effects of flavivirus infection, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the E glycoprotein of this invention, the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention, the flavivirus particle of this invention, the VLP of this invention, the nucleic acid molecule of this invention, the population of this invention, and/or the composition of this invention and any combination thereof.
In further aspects, the present invention provides methods of identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) administering a composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to the subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a) above under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; and c) detecting neutralization in step (b), thereby identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
The present invention additionally provides methods of identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; and b) detecting neutralization in step (a), thereby identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
In other embodiments, the present invention provides methods of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) administering an immunogenic composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to a subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a) under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; c) determining if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a); and d) identifying the immunogenic composition as inducing a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of (a).
Further provided herein are methods of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; b) determining if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a); and c) identifying the immunogenic composition as inducing a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of (a).
The present invention also provides methods of detecting an antibody to a flavivirus in a sample, comprising: a) contacting the sample with an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby detecting an antibody to the flavivirus in the sample.
The present invention also provides methods of identifying an antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) administering a composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to the subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the E glycoprotein of (a) under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and c) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes methods of identifying an antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
Another embodiment of the present invention include methods of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces an antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising an E glycoprotein of any of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an immunogenic composition that induces an antibody to the flavivirus in the subject.
Further aspects of the present invention include methods of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, comprising: a) administering an immunogenic composition comprising an E glycoprotein of the present invention or an E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to a subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the E glycoprotein of (a) under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and c) detecting formation an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject.
Another aspect of the present invention provides methods of producing a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of the present invention, comprising: introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone, wherein the one or more amino acid substitutions are selected from the group consisting of 2M, 6L, 8L, 9V, 13F, 14A, 15E, 27P, 29Y, 29K, 32V, 33V, 34L, 35M, 44M, 44L, 48I, 106D, 107C, 131I, 144Y, 154L, 154M, 191Y, 198W, 204F, 205L, 206F, 209D, 244Q, 244F, 246I, 246Y, 251F, 255E, 256Y, 258A, 258E, 259V, 259W, 259C, 260L, 261L, 261F, 262H, 262R, 262Y, 263W, 263L, 266W, 270V, 277M, 279W, 280A, 280P, 289W, 299L, 313C, 316M, 330A, 359Y, 373D, 375L, 377V, 386I, 390Q, 392R, 393R, and/or any combination thereof (e.g., amino acid substitutions shown in Table 1 and/or Table 2), wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into dimer conformation.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and specification, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.
All publications, patent applications, patents and other references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for the teachings relevant to the sentence and/or paragraph in which the reference is presented.
As used herein, “a,” “an” or “the” can mean one or more than one. For example, “a” cell can mean a single cell or a multiplicity of cells.
Also as used herein, “and/or” refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, as well as the lack of combinations when interpreted in the alternative (“or”).
The term “about,” as used herein when referring to a measurable value such as an amount of dose (e.g., an amount of a non-viral vector) and the like, is meant to encompass variations of ±20%, ±10%, 5%, 1%, 0.5%, or even ±0.1% of the specified amount.
As used herein, the transitional phrase “consisting essentially of” (and grammatical variants) means that the scope of a claim is to be interpreted to encompass the specified materials or steps recited in the claim, “and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s)” of the claimed invention. Thus, the term “consisting essentially of” when used in a claim of this invention is not intended to be interpreted to be equivalent to “comprising.”
As used herein, the term “nucleic acid” encompasses both RNA and DNA, including cDNA, genomic DNA, synthetic (e.g., chemically synthesized) DNA and chimeras of RNA and DNA. The nucleic acid may be double-stranded or single-stranded. The nucleic acid may be synthesized using nucleotide analogs or derivatives (e.g., inosine or phosphorothioate nucleotides). Such nucleotides can be used, for example, to prepare nucleic acids that have altered base-pairing abilities or increased resistance to nucleases.
As used herein, the term “polypeptide” encompasses both peptides and proteins (including fusion proteins), unless indicated otherwise.
In embodiments of the invention, an “immunogenically active fragment” of a flavivirus polypeptide (e.g., the E protein) comprises, consists essentially of or consists of at least about 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450 or more amino acids, optionally contiguous amino acids, and/or less than about 495, 475, 450, 425, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 75 or 50 amino acids, optionally contiguous amino acids, including any combination of the foregoing as long as the lower limit is less than the upper limit, and the “immunogenically active fragment” induces an immune response (e.g., IgG and/or IgA that react with the native antigen), optionally a protective immune response, against dengue virus in a host and induces the production of antibodies that specifically bind to the quaternary dengue virus epitope newly identified by the inventors.
The term “epitope” as used herein means a specific amino acid sequence that, when present in the proper conformation, provides a reactive site for an antibody (e.g., B cell epitope) or T cell receptor (e.g., T cell epitope).
Portions of a given polypeptide that include a B-cell epitope can be identified using any number of epitope mapping techniques that are known in the art. (See, e.g., Epitope Mapping Protocols in Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 66, Glenn E. Morris, Ed., 1996, Humana Press, Totowa, N.J.). For example, linear epitopes can be determined by, e.g., concurrently synthesizing large numbers of peptides on solid supports, the peptides corresponding to portions of the protein molecule, and reacting the peptides with antibodies while the peptides are still attached to the supports. Such techniques are known in the art and described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,871; Geysen et al. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:3998-4002; Geysen et al. (1986) Molec. Immunol. 23:709-715.
Similarly, conformational epitopes can be readily identified by determining spatial conformation of amino acids such as by, e.g., x-ray crystallography and 2-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance. Antigenic regions of proteins can also be identified using standard antigenicity and hydropathy plots, such as those calculated using, e.g., the Omiga version 1.0 software program available from the Oxford Molecular Group. This computer program employs the Hopp/Woods method (Hopp et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA (1981) 78:3824-3828) for determining antigenicity profiles and the Kyte-Doolittle technique (Kyte et al. J. Mol. Biol. (1982) 157:105-132) for hydropathy plots.
Generally, T-cell epitopes that are involved in stimulating the cellular arm of a subject's immune system are short peptides of about 8-25 amino acids. A common way to identify T-cell epitopes is to use overlapping synthetic peptides and analyze pools of these peptides, or the individual ones, that are recognized by T cells from animals that are immune to the antigen of interest, using, for example, an enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT). These overlapping peptides can also be used in other assays such as the stimulation of cytokine release or secretion, or evaluated by constructing major histocompatibility (MHC) tetramers containing the peptide. Such immunogenically active fragments can also be identified based on their ability to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation in response to stimulation by various fragments from the antigen of interest.
A “recombinant” nucleic acid, polynucleotide or nucleotide sequence is one produced by genetic engineering techniques.
A “recombinant” polypeptide is produced from a recombinant nucleic acid, polypeptide or nucleotide sequence.
As used herein, an “isolated” polynucleotide (e.g., an “isolated nucleic acid” or an “isolated nucleotide sequence”) means a polynucleotide at least partially separated from at least some of the other components of the naturally occurring organism or virus, for example, the cell or viral structural components or other polypeptides or nucleic acids commonly found associated with the polynucleotide. Optionally, but not necessarily, the “isolated” polynucleotide is present at a greater concentration (i.e., is enriched) as compared with the starting material (e.g., at least about a two-fold, three-fold, four-fold, ten-fold, twenty-fold, fifty-fold, one-hundred-fold, five-hundred-fold, one thousand-fold, ten thousand-fold or greater concentration). In representative embodiments, the isolated polynucleotide is at least about 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more pure.
An “isolated” polypeptide means a polypeptide that is at least partially separated from at least some of the other components of the naturally occurring organism or virus, for example, the cell or viral structural components or other polypeptides or nucleic acids commonly found associated with the polypeptide. Optionally, but not necessarily, the “isolated” polypeptide is present at a greater concentration (i.e., is enriched) as compared with the starting material (e.g., at least about a two-fold, three-fold, four-fold, ten-fold, twenty-fold, fifty-fold, one-hundred-fold, five-hundred-fold, one thousand-fold, ten thousand-fold or greater concentration). In representative embodiments, the isolated polypeptide is at least about 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more pure.
Furthermore, an “isolated” cell is a cell that has been partially or completely separated from other components with which it is normally associated in nature. For example, an isolated cell can be a cell in culture medium and/or a cell in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
The terms “immunogen” and “antigen” are used interchangeably herein and mean any compound (including polypeptides) to which a cellular and/or humoral immune response can be directed. In particular embodiments, an immunogen or antigen can induce a protective immune response against the effects of dengue virus infection.
“Effective amount” as used herein refers to an amount of a vector, nucleic acid, epitope, polypeptide, cell, particle, VLP, composition or formulation of the invention that is sufficient to produce a desired effect, which can be a therapeutic and/or beneficial effect. The effective amount will vary with the age, general condition of the subject, the severity of the condition being treated, the particular agent administered, the duration of the treatment, the nature of any concurrent treatment, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier used, and like factors within the knowledge and expertise of those skilled in the art. As appropriate, an “effective amount” in any individual case can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the pertinent texts and literature and/or by using routine experimentation.
The term “immunogenic amount” or “effective immunizing dose,” as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, means an amount or dose sufficient to induce an immune response (which can optionally be a protective response) in the treated subject that is greater than the inherent immunity of non-immunized subjects. An immunogenic amount or effective immunizing dose in any particular context can be routinely determined using methods known in the art.
The terms “vaccine,” “vaccination” and “immunization” are well-understood in the art, and are used interchangeably herein. For example, the terms vaccine, vaccination or immunization can be understood to be a process or composition that increases a subject's immune reaction to an immunogen (e.g., by providing an active immune response), and therefore its ability to resist, overcome and/or recover from infection (i.e., a protective immune response).
By the terms “treat,” “treating” or “treatment of” (and grammatical variations thereof) it is meant that the severity of the subject's condition is reduced, at least partially improved or ameliorated and/or that some alleviation, mitigation or decrease in at least one clinical symptom is achieved and/or there is a delay in the progression of the disease or disorder. In representative embodiments, the terms “treat,” “treating” or “treatment of” (and grammatical variations thereof) refer to a reduction in the severity of viremia and/or a delay in the progression of viremia, with or without other signs of clinical disease.
A “treatment effective” amount as used herein is an amount that is sufficient to treat (as defined herein) the subject. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the therapeutic effects need not be complete or curative, as long as some benefit is provided to the subject.
The term “prevent,” “preventing” or “prevention of” (and grammatical variations thereof) refer to prevention and/or delay of the onset and/or progression of a disease, disorder and/or a clinical symptom(s) in a subject and/or a reduction in the severity of the onset and/or progression of the disease, disorder and/or clinical symptom(s) relative to what would occur in the absence of the methods of the invention. In representative embodiments, the terms “prevent,” “preventing” or “prevention of” (and grammatical variations thereof) refer to prevention and/or delay of the onset and/or progression of viremia in the subject, with or without other signs of clinical disease. The prevention can be complete, e.g., the total absence of the disease, disorder and/or clinical symptom(s). The prevention can also be partial, such that the occurrence of the disease, disorder and/or clinical symptom(s) in the subject and/or the severity of onset and/or the progression is less than what would occur in the absence of the present invention.
A “prevention effective” amount as used herein is an amount that is sufficient to prevent (as defined herein) the disease, disorder and/or clinical symptom in the subject. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the level of prevention need not be complete, as long as some benefit is provided to the subject.
The efficacy of treating and/or preventing dengue virus infection by the methods of the present invention can be determined by detecting a clinical improvement as indicated by a change in the subject's symptoms and/or clinical parameters (e.g., viremia), as would be well known to one of skill in the art.
Unless indicated otherwise, the terms “protect,” “protecting,” “protection” and “protective” (and grammatical variations thereof) encompass both methods of preventing and treating dengue virus infection in a subject, whether against one or multiple strains, genotypes or serotypes of dengue virus.
The terms “protective” immune response or “protective” immunity as used herein indicates that the immune response confers some benefit to the subject in that it prevents or reduces the incidence and/or severity and/or duration of disease or any other manifestation of infection. For example, in representative embodiments, a protective immune response or protective immunity results in reduced viremia, whether or not accompanied by clinical disease. Alternatively, a protective immune response or protective immunity may be useful in the therapeutic treatment of existing disease.
An “active immune response” or “active immunity” is characterized by “participation of host tissues and cells after an encounter with the immunogen. It involves differentiation and proliferation of immunocompetent cells in lymphoreticular tissues, which lead to synthesis of antibody or the development of cell-mediated reactivity, or both.” Herbert B. Herscowitz, Immunophysiology: Cell Function and Cellular Interactions in Antibody Formation, in IMMUNOLOGY: BASIC PROCESSES 117 (Joseph A. Bellanti ed., 1985). Alternatively stated, an active immune response is mounted by the host after exposure to immunogens by infection or by vaccination. Active immunity can be contrasted with passive immunity, which is acquired through the “transfer of preformed substances (antibody, transfer factor, thymic graft, interleukin-2) from an actively immunized host to a non-immune host.” Id.
A “subject” of the invention includes any animal susceptible to dengue virus infection. Such a subject is generally a mammalian subject (e.g., a laboratory animal such as a rat, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit, primates, etc.), a farm or commercial animal (e.g., a cow, horse, goat, donkey, sheep, etc.), or a domestic animal (e.g., cat, dog, ferret, etc.). In particular embodiments, the subject is a primate subject, a non-human primate subject (e.g., a chimpanzee, baboon, monkey, gorilla, etc.) or a human. Subjects of the invention can be a subject known or believed to be at risk of infection by a flavivirus (e.g., dengue virus and/or Zika virus). Alternatively, a subject according to the invention can also include a subject not previously known or suspected to be infected by a flavivirus or in need of treatment for flavivirus infection.
Subjects may be treated for any purpose, such as for eliciting a protective immune response or for eliciting the production of antibodies in that subject, which antibodies can be collected and used for other purposes such as research or diagnostic purposes or for administering to other subjects to produce passive immunity therein, etc.
Subjects include males and/or females of any age, including neonates, juvenile, mature and geriatric subjects. With respect to human subjects, in representative embodiments, the subject can be an infant (e.g., less than about 12 months, 10 months, 9 months, 8 months, 7 months, 6 months, or younger), a toddler (e.g., at least about 12, 18 or 24 months and/or less than about 36, 30 or 24 months), or a child (e.g., at least about 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 years of age and/or less than about 14, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, or 4 years of age). In embodiments of the invention, the subject is a human subject that is from about 0 to 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, from about 3 to 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, from about 6 to 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, from about 9 to 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, from about 12 to 18, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, from about 18 to 24, 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age, or from about 24 to 30, 36, 48 or 60 months of age.
A “subject in need” of the methods of the invention can be a subject known to be, or suspected of being, infected with, or at risk of being infected with, a flavivirus (e.g., dengue virus and/or Zika virus).
The present invention is based, in part on the unexpected discovery that particular amino acid residues can be incorporated into a flavivirus E glycoprotein to stabilize the dimer conformation at physiological, e.g., vaccine, conditions. These particular amino acid residues can be transferred into the backbone amino acid sequence of multiple flavivirus E glycoproteins to create stabilized recombinant E glycoproteins, e.g., E glycoproteins which would be stabilized as dimers in physiological conditions (e.g., vaccine conditions, e.g., in low protein concentration conditions and/or at a temperature of about 37° C.).
The enveloped DENV is an enveloped virus that contains 180 copies of the envelope (E) glycoprotein on the viral surface. The E glycoprotein is the only protein presented on the viral surface, and is arranged in a herringbone pattern as anti-parallel homodimers that pack laterally into a lipid raft containing three dimers. The E protein monomer contains three predominantly j-sheet domains referred to as DI, DII, and DIII. These domains are connected via linker regions to form the monomer, which is connected to a transmembrane domain by an amphipathic helix stem peptide. The E protein exists in multiple conformations consistent with the different stages the virus undergoes in the infection cycle, including a pre-fusion dimer at neutral pH and a post-fusion trimer that forms as the virus enters the low pH endosome. While not wishing to be bound to theory, it is believed that this requirement that the E protein transitions between different conformational states provides selective pressure during viral evolution that favors E protein sequences that are adept at transitioning between different structures and are not overly stable in a single conformation such as the pre-fusion dimer. As used herein, the term “dimer conformation” refers to the physical structure (e.g., tertiary and/or quaternary structure) of an E glycoprotein that is capable of forming dimers (e.g., homodimers). Similarly, the term “trimer conformation” refers to the physical structure (e.g., tertiary and/or quaternary structure) of an E glycoprotein that is capable of forming trimers (e.g., homotrimers), and the term “monomer conformation” refers to the physical structure (e.g., tertiary and/or quaternary structure) of an E glycoprotein that is not capable of forming higher order multimers. The present invention provides modifications, e.g., substitutions, that may stabilize an E glycoprotein into a particular preferred conformation, such as the monomer conformation, dimer conformation, and/or trimer conformation. A soluble recombinant E protein (sE, also referred to herein as sRecE), comprising the soluble ectodomain (i.e., E glycoprotein DI, DII and DIII), can form dimers at high concentrations and under crystallization conditions. These sE dimers resemble the anti-parallel E homodimer observed on the virion surface, which presents epitopes targeted by DENV neutralizing antibodies (
However, the DENV2 sE protein is also sensitive to environmental stresses, such as pH and temperature, similar to the native E protein. In addition, the DENV2 sE protein dimer has a homodimer Kd of 12 μM at 37° C., which is too weak to be relevant under vaccination conditions and limits its current use as a vaccine antigen by reducing the presentation of critical quaternary epitopes. Recombinant soluble E glycoprotein dimer stability is concentration and temperature dependent, wherein at physiological temperatures (e.g., 37° C.), sE is predominantly monomeric. The monomer has limited presentation of broadly neutralizing epitopes (e.g., quaternary epitopes) that are important for effective immune responses. Unfolding of the sE monomer protein may start as low as about 43° C. (about 37° C. for ZIKV). Dimer formation may occur at high concentration of protein, and/or at low temperature (e.g., about 23° C.). Therefore, in order to use sE as a vaccine antigen, it may be beneficial to stabilize both the dimer and monomer conformation. Stabilized monomers may be useful, e.g., in the application of diagnostics, wherein the stabilized monomer may be used as control and/or depleting less broadly-neutralizing antibodies (e.g., antibodies binding non-quaternary epitopes).
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein, comprising a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone; and one or more (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc., e.g., at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, or more) amino acid substitution(s) selected from the group consisting of 2M, 6L, 8L, 9V, 13F, 14A, 15E, 27P, 29Y, 29K, 32V, 33V, 34L, 35M, 44M, 44L, 48I, 106D, 107C, 131I, 144Y, 154L, 154M, 191Y, 198W, 204F, 205L, 206F, 209D, 244Q, 244F, 246I, 246Y, 251F, 255E, 256Y, 258A, 258E, 259V, 259W, 259C, 260L, 261L, 261F, 262H, 262R, 262Y, 263W, 263L, 266W, 270V, 277M, 279W, 280A, 280P, 289W, 299L, 313C, 316M, 330A, 359Y, 373D, 375L, 377V, 386I, 390Q, 392R, 393R, and/or any combination thereof (e.g., amino acid substitutions shown in Table 1 and/or Table 2), wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein, comprising a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone; and one or more (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc., e.g., at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, or more) amino acid substitution(s) in the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone DI/DII hinge region, αB helix central interface, and/or fusion loop (FL) dimer interface. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein, comprising a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone; and one or more (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc., e.g., at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, or more) amino acid substitution(s) in the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone DI/DII hinge region, e.g., outside of the dimer interface. Non-limiting examples of amino acid substitutions in the E glycoprotein DI/DII hinge region, e.g., outside of the E glycoprotein dimer interface, include 279W and 280P.
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone from a dengue virus (DENV, Zika virus (ZIKV), yellow fever virus (YFV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), tick-borne Encephalitis virus (TBEV), Powassan virus, or any combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a dengue virus (DENV), e.g., dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV1), dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2), dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV3), and/or dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV4). A DENV backbone may comprise the amino acid sequence of any DENV genotype and/or strain and/or isolate currently known or as yet identified and/or isolated. Non-limiting examples of DENV1 genotypes, strains, and/or isolates include Genotypes I, II, III, IV, and V, and strains Western Pacific 1974 (SEQ ID NO:183). Non-limiting examples of DENV2 genotypes, strains, and/or isolates include DENV2 strain 16681 (SEQ ID NO:182). Non-limiting examples of DENV3 genotypes, strains, and/or isolates include Genotype I, II, III, IV, and strains such as Sri Lanka 1989, Indonesia 1982, Thailand 1995, Cuba 2002, and Puerto Rico 1977, and DENV3 strain CH53489 (SEQ ID NO:184). Non-limiting examples of DENV4 genotypes, strains, and/or isolates include DENV4 strain TVP-376 (SEQ ID NO:185). In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a chimeric virus, e.g., a chimeric dengue virus E glycoprotein such as, but not limited to, DENV1/2, DENV 1/3, DENV 1/4, DENV 2/1, DENV 2/3, DENV 2/4, DENV 3/1, DENV 3/2, DENV 3/4, DENV 4/1, DENV 4/2, DENV 4/3.
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a Zika virus (ZIKV), e.g., ZIKV strain PF13/251013-18 (SEQ ID NO:186).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a Yellow Fever virus (YFV), e.g., YFV strain 17D (SEQ ID NO:187).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV), e.g., JEV strain SA14-14-2 (SEQ ID NO:188).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a West Nile virus (WNV), e.g., WNV strain NY99 (SEQ ID NO:189).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a Tick-borne Encephalitis virus (TBEV), e.g., TBEV strain Moscow B-4 (SEQ ID NO:190).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of an Usutu virus, e.g., Usutu virus strain MB119/06 (SEQ ID NO:191).
In some embodiments, the flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone comprises a backbone of a Powassan virus, e.g., Powassan virus Lineage I (SEQ ID NO:192).
In some embodiments, the E glycoprotein backbone comprises a full-length E glycoprotein. In some embodiments, the E glycoprotein backbone comprises a soluble ectodomain formed from E glycoprotein domains DI, DII, and DIII, e.g., soluble recombinant E protein (“sE,” also referred to herein as “sRecE”).
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise one or more (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc., e.g., at least one, at least two, at least three, at least four, or more) of the substitutions as shown in the tables of Table 1 and/or Table 2, in any combination, wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: R2M and E44M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H27P and T48I.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: R2M, E44L, D154L, and K246Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: K204F and H261L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A259V and T262H.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A259W and T262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A259W, T262Y, and A263L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T262R and A263W.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: N8L, S29Y, and H244F.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: M6L and Q316M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: Q131I and Y299L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A35M and M289W.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T33V and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H209D and G266W.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: V15E, F373D, and F392R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, and M34L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: F279W and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: T48I and L277M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: Q256Y, G258A, A259W, and M260L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, and T262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H27P, S29K, T33V, A35M, T48I, G106D, A259W, and T262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, H209D, A259W, T262R, G266W, F279W, F280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, H27P, S29K, T33V, M34L, A35M, T48I, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, M34L, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, T262R, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: V15E, S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P, T359Y, F373D, and F392R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H27P, T48I, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, A259W, T262R, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H27P, T48I, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, S29K, T33V, M34L, A35M, G106D, A259W, T262R, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, S29K, T33V, M34L, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, M34L, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: E13F, G14A, M34L, H209D, G266W, F279W, T280P, and T359Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D, A259W, and T262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: H27P, T48I, and G258E.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, and G258E.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G106D, A259V, T262R, A263W, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259V, T262R, A263W, F279W, and T280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S29K, T33V, A35M, L107C, and A313C.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: R9V, T32V, H144Y, and E368I.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: R2M, H27P, E44M, T48I, D154M, H244Q, and K246Y.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: K204F, W206F, and H261L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: K204F, W251F, and H261F.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: A259W, T262Y, and A263L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: D375L and N390Q.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G330A.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: Y377V and K393R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: I270V and T280A.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: L198W.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: L191Y and H209D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: V15E, W20H, F373D, and F392R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV1 identified as SEQ ID NO:147: S29K, T33V, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV1 identified as SEQ ID NO:147: A259W and S262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV1 identified as SEQ ID NO:147: G106D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV1 identified as SEQ ID NO:147: F279W and A280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G29K, T33V, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: A257W and T260R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G106D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: F277W and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: F277W, A278P, S275L, and M205L.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G106D, A257W, T260R, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: A257W, T260R, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: H27P and T48I.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A257W, T260R, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: H27P, T48I, A257W, T260R, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: H27P, T48I, G106D, A257W, T260R, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G106D, F277W, and A278P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G106D, A257W, and T260R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV3 identified as SEQ ID NO:152: G29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A257W, and T260R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: G29K, T33V, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: A259W and S262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: G106D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: F279W and A280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: G29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A259W, S262R, F279W, and A280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: A280P.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: H27P and T48I.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV4 identified as SEQ ID NO:169: G29K, T33V, A35M, G106D, A257W, and S262R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of ZIKV identified as SEQ ID NO:178: S29K, V33, and A35M.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of ZIKV identified as SEQ ID NO:178: A264W and T267R.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of ZIKV identified as SEQ ID NO:178: G106D.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: S255E.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention may comprise the following amino acid substitutions wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein (e.g., a soluble recombinant glycoprotein) of DENV2 identified as SEQ ID NO:6: G258E.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the resent invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the amino acid sequence:
Additional stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein variants may include a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein comprising any of the amino acid substitutions as described in Tables 1 and 2. The present invention provides additional non limiting examples of stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of this invention that can be used in the compositions and methods described herein in the SEQUENCES section provided herein. Thus, further stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein variants may also include any stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of any of the amino acid sequences and/or any stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein encoded by any of the nucleic acid sequences described herein in the SEQUENCES section provided herein.
Additional stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein variants can be made by introducing one or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, etc.) substituted amino acid residues in the E glycoprotein domain sequence at any position and in any combination. Variants of this invention can also be made by insertion of amino acid residues and/or deletion of amino acid residues, with or without substitution of original amino acids residues. Amino acid residues that can be substituted include naturally occurring amino acid residues such as those shown in Table 3, as well as any modified amino acid residues such as those shown in Table 4.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention comprises substitutions which maintain a conformation of E glycoprotein that inhibits homodimer and/or trimer formation, e.g., monomer conformation, under physiological conditions, e.g., 37° C. and/or low protein concentrations, e.g., vaccine conditions. In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein of the present invention comprises substitutions which maintain a conformation of E glycoprotein that allows homodimer formation, e.g., dimer conformation, under physiological conditions, e.g., 37° C. and/or low protein concentrations, e.g., vaccine conditions. Thus, the present invention also provides a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer comprising two flavivirus E glycoproteins of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the dimer has a Tm1 melting point of about 37° C. or higher, as measured at a E glycoprotein concentration of above 1 micromolar (e.g., 4 micromolar, 8 micromolar), e.g., about 37° C. to about 60° C., e.g., about 37, about 38, about 39, about 40, about 41, about 42, about 43, about 44, about 45, about 46, about 47, about 48, about 49, about 50, about 51, about 52, about 53, about 54, about 55, about 56, about 57, about 58, about 59, or about 60° C. or higher, as measured at a E glycoprotein concentration of above 1 micromolar. For example, some embodiments, the dimer has a Tm1 melting point of about 37° C. to about 45° C., about 45° C. to about 65° C., about 37.5° C. to about 50.75° C., or about 37.5° C. to about 60.9° C., as measured at a E glycoprotein concentration of above 1 micromolar. In some embodiments, the dimer has a Tm1 melting point that is equal to its tm2 melting point, e.g., wherein the dimer does not dissociate until such temperature that it also unfolds (e.g., until such temperature that the monomeric form unfolds).
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention dissociates to monomer (a Tm1 melting point) at a temperature that is higher (e.g., about 0.5° C. to about 45° C. higher, or any value or range therein) than the temperature at which a dimer of a corresponding wildtype flavivirus E glycoprotein dissociates to monomer. In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a Tm1 melting point that is higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype (e.g., non-stabilized) sE glycoprotein dimer. In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a Tm1 melting point that is about 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, or 45 or more degrees Celsius higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype sE glycoprotein (e.g., of the corresponding backbone, e.g., of a wildtype DENV1, 2, 3, or 4 sE and/or a wildtype ZIKV sE). For example, in some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a Tm1 melting point that is about 2° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype ZIKV sE, about 8° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype ZIKV sE, about 11° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype ZIKV sE, about 1.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 7° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 11° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 15.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 10° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 22° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, about 16° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE, about 20° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE, about 21.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE, about 38° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE, about 42.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE, about 40° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV4 sE, or any value or range therein, e.g., about 4 to about 11° C., about 6 to about 10° C., or about 2 to about 45° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype ZIKV sE, e.g., about 2 to about 20° C., about 4 to about 25° C., or about 6 to about 18.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV2 sE, e.g., about 2 to about 45° C., about 4 to about 25° C., or about 6 to about 18.5° C. higher than the Tm1 melting point of a wildtype DENV3 sE.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a dimer affinity (Kd) of about 20 μM or lower under physiological conditions (e.g., vaccine conditions, e.g., at human body temperature, e.g., as measured at 37° C.). In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a dimer affinity of about 18 μM or lower, about 15 μM or lower, about 10 μM or lower, about 3 μM or lower, about 1 μM or lower, about 100 nM or lower, about 10 nM or lower, about 1 nM or lower, about 0.1 nM or lower, or any value or range therein, as measured at 37° C. For example, in some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention has a dimer affinity of about 1 picomolar to about 20 μM, about 100 picomolar to about 18 μM, about 1 nM to about 3 μM, or about 1 picomolar, about 10 picomolar, about 100 picomolar, about 1 nM, about 10 nM, about 100 nM, about 1 μM, about 2 μM, about 3 μM, about 4 μM, about 5 μM, about 6 μM, about 7 μM, about 8 μM, about 9 μM, about 10 μM, about 11 μM, about 12 μM, about 13 μM, about 14 μM, about 15 μM, about 16 μM, about 17 μM, about 18 μM, about 19 μM, about 20 μM, or any value or range therein.
The present invention also provides a flavivirus particle and a virus like particle (VLP) comprising the stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of this invention. The flavivirus E glycoprotein of the invention can be present in an intact virus particle (e.g., a killed or live attenuated virus particle or a recombinant flavivirus vector (e.g., a recombinant dengue virus vector)) or a virus-like particle (VLP), which may optionally be an intact dengue virus particle or dengue virus VLP.
Also provided is an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the E glycoprotein of this invention, an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the flavivirus particle or the VLP of this invention, a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of this invention and a population of flavivirus particles comprising the flavivirus particle this invention.
Further provided herein is a composition comprising the E glycoprotein of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, a composition comprising the E glycoprotein dimer of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, a composition comprising the nucleic acid molecule of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, a composition comprising the virus particle of this invention, a composition comprising the population of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a composition comprising the VLP of this invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
In some embodiments, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention may be used in combination (e.g., in scaffold(s) and/or conjugated with) other molecules such as, but not limited to, Fc fragments, Fc-fusion proteins, and/or nanoparticles. Fc molecules may be used, e.g., to increase serum half-life and/or serum immunogenicity. Nanoparticles may be used, e.g., as delivery devices.
Types of nanoparticles of this invention for use as delivery devices include, but are not limited to, polymer nanoparticles such as PLGA-based, PLA-based, polysaccharide-based (dextran, cyclodextrin, chitosan, heparin), dendrimer, hydrogel; lipid-based nanoparticles such as lipid nanoparticles, lipid hybrid nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles; inorganics-based nanoparticles such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, platin nanoparticles, calcium phosphate nanoparticles, quantum dots; carbon-based nanoparticles such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes; and protein-based complexes with nanoscales. Types of microparticles of this invention include but are not limited to particles with sizes at micrometer scale that are polymer microparticles including but not limited to, PLGA-based, PLA-based, polysaccharide-based (dextran, cyclodextrin, chitosan, heparin), dendrimer, hydrogel; lipid-based microparticles such as lipid microparticles, micelles; inorganics-based microparticles such as superparamagnetic iron oxide microparticles, platin microparticles and the like as are known in the art. These particles may be generated and/or have materials be absorbed, encapsulated, or chemically bound through known mechanisms in the art.
Production of the stabilized recombinant E glycoproteins of this invention can be carried out by introducing some (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, etc.) or all of the amino acid substitutions identified as stabilizing a flavivirus quaternary epitope and/or flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer conformation (e.g., such as in Table 1 and 2) into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone. Not every amino acid identified as stabilizing a flavivirus quaternary epitope and/or flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer conformation is required to be substituted to produce a stabilized recombinant protein of this invention. For example, in some embodiments further substitutions and/or omission of substitutions of about 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 amino acids at either end of the contiguous amino acid sequences identified as stabilizing a flavivirus quaternary epitope and/or flavivirus E glycoprotein dimer conformation can be included in the production of a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of this invention. The number of substitutions necessary to produce the desired conformational epitope or dimer structure can be readily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art according to the teachings herein and according to protocols well known in the art. The amino acid residue numbering provided in the amino acid sequences set forth here is based on the unmodified (e.g., wild type) E glycoprotein amino acid sequence of the soluble recombinant DENV2 E glycoprotein (SEQ ID NO:6). However it would be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the equivalent amino acid positions in other flavivirus E glycoprotein amino acid sequences (e.g., DENV and/or ZIKV) can be readily identified, e.g., such as through alignments as shown in
Thus, in some embodiments the present invention provides a method of producing a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of the present invention, comprising: introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone, wherein the one or more amino acid substitutions are selected from the group consisting of 2M, 6L, 8L, 9V, 13F, 14A, 15E, 27P, 29Y, 29K, 32V, 33V, 34L, 35M, 44M, 44L, 48I, 106D, 107C, 131I, 144Y, 154L, 154M, 191Y, 198W, 204F, 205L, 206F, 209D, 244Q, 244F, 246I, 246Y, 251F, 255E, 256Y, 258A, 258E, 259V, 259W, 259C, 260L, 261L, 261F, 262H, 262R, 262Y, 263W, 263L, 266W, 270V, 277M, 279W, 280A, 280P, 289W, 299L, 313C, 316M, 330A, 359Y, 373D, 375L, 377V, 386I, 390Q, 392R, 393R, and/or any combination thereof (e.g., amino acid substitutions shown in Table 1 and/or Table 2), wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into dimer conformation.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of producing a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of the present invention, comprising introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone DI/DII hinge region, αB helix central interface, and/or fusion loop (FL) dimer interface, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into dimer conformation. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of producing a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of the present invention, comprising introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone DI/DII hinge region, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into dimer conformation. Non-limiting examples of amino acid substitutions in the E glycoprotein DI/DII hinge region, e.g., outside of the E glycoprotein dimer interface, include 279W and 280P. While not wishing to be bound to theory, substitutions in the E glycoprotein DI/DII hinge region outside of the dimer interface may increase dimer conformation stability through hydrophobic packing in the hinge region and/or stabilization of the kl loop. Thus, in some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of producing a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein of the present invention, comprising introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone DI/DII hinge region, wherein the one or more amino acid substitutions hydrophobically pack the hinge region and/or to stabilize the kl loop, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into dimer conformation.
In some embodiments, a method of the present invention may comprise introducing one or more amino acid substitutions into a flavivirus E glycoprotein backbone, thereby stabilizing the flavivirus E glycoprotein into monomer conformation. Non-limiting examples of substitutions which may be introduced for monomer conformation stabilization include amino acid substitutions shown in Table 1 and Table 2 such as one or more substitutions comprised in the example variants Mnmer1, Mnmer2, and/or PM4, wherein the numbering is based on the reference amino acid sequence of an E glycoprotein of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) identified as SEQ ID NO:6.
There is considerable interest in VLPs as a type of subunit vaccine for flaviviruses as the multivalent display of antigen on a particle can boost both B cell and T cell responses. To produce VLPs with the WT DENV E protein, it is necessary to co-express E with the full length prM protein. prM is one of three structural proteins in DENV, along with the E protein and capsid, and performs several functional roles during viral maturation. During secretion from the cell the pr domain binds to the fusion loop on domain DII of the E protein and prevents it from inserting into the membrane of the host cell as it passes through the ER and the trans-Golgi network. This “chaperone” activity by the pr domain is important as the virus transports through the low-pH environment of the trans-Golgi. The E protein is dynamic and has evolved to expose the fusion loop at low pH when infecting cells. During native viral maturation, when the virus leaves the host cell pr is cleaved from M and released from the virion. However, when producing VLPs using recombinant protein the cleavage of prM is very inefficient and a large amount of pr remains attached to the particles. This presents a problem for using DENV VLPs as a vaccine because the pr domain may occlude important epitopes on the surface of the particle and pr is a dominant epitope that elicits non-neutralizing antibodies that can contribute to antibody enhancement (ADE) and severe disease symptoms. Current flavivirus subunit vaccines and live attenuated virus vaccines, e.g., dengue virus and Zika virus, use co-expression of prM and E glycoprotein to improve expression and folding of the E and sRecE protein. The present invention stabilizes the E protein dimer at neutral and low pH, thereby sequestering the fusion loop at the dimer interface and disfavoring its insertion into the host membrane during secretion, removing the need for pr during VLP production.
Therefore, in some embodiments, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein that may interact with a prM protein. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein that may not require interaction with a prM protein for appropriate expression and secretion. In some embodiments, a virus like particle (VLP) comprising the E glycoprotein of the present invention is produced via a method which does not comprise co-expression of pr. The sE stabilizing mutations of the present invention do not need and are not expressed with prM and have improved expression yields. This is an advantage for use, e.g., as a vaccine, diagnostics, and/or research tool applications.
The stabilizing mutations of the present invention are in conserved positions and should also stabilize with DENV1, 2, 3, and/or 4 and ZIKV, as well as other flavivirus envelope protein monomers and dimers, as shown in
It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the stabilized recombinant E glycoproteins and/or nucleic acid molecules of this invention can be used as immunogens and/or in a vaccine formulation. The stabilized recombinant E glycoproteins and/or nucleic acid molecules can be included in a pharmaceutical formulation, in any combination and/or ratio relative to one another.
Thus, the present invention further provides a method of producing an immune response to a flavivirus in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer, a flavivirus particle or VLP, a nucleic acid molecule, a population, a composition, or any combination thereof of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating a flavivirus infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer, a flavivirus particle or VLP, a nucleic acid molecule, a population, a composition, or any combination thereof of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of preventing a disorder associated with a flavivirus infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer, a flavivirus particle or VLP, a nucleic acid molecule, a population, a composition, or any combination thereof of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of protecting a subject from the effects of a flavivirus infection, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein, a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein dimer, a flavivirus particle or VLP, a nucleic acid molecule, a population, a composition, or any combination thereof of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) administering a composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to the subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a) above under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; and c) detecting neutralization in step (b), thereby identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; and b) detecting neutralization in step (a), thereby identifying the presence of a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) administering an immunogenic composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to a subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a) under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; c) determining if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a); and d) identifying the immunogenic composition as inducing a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of (a).
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby neutralization of the flavivirus particles can be detected; b) determining if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of step (a); and c) identifying the immunogenic composition as inducing a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject if the biological sample comprises an antibody that neutralizes flavivirus particles comprising the E glycoprotein of (a).
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of detecting an antibody to a flavivirus in a sample, comprising: a) contacting the sample with a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby detecting an antibody to the flavivirus in the sample.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) administering a composition a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to the subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the E glycoprotein of (a) under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and c) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an antibody to a flavivirus in a biological sample from a subject, comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an antibody to the flavivirus in the biological sample from the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces an antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, the method comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from a subject that has been administered an immunogenic composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention with the E glycoprotein under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and b) detecting formation of an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an immunogenic composition that induces an antibody to the flavivirus in the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to a flavivirus in a subject, comprising: a) administering an immunogenic composition comprising a stabilized recombinant E glycoprotein or E glycoprotein dimer of the present invention to a subject in an amount effective to induce an antibody response to the E glycoprotein; b) contacting a biological sample from the subject with the E glycoprotein of (a) under conditions whereby an antigen/antibody complex can form; and c) detecting formation an antigen/antibody complex, thereby identifying an immunogenic composition that induces a neutralizing antibody to the flavivirus in the subject.
The present invention can be practiced for prophylactic, therapeutic and/or diagnostic purposes. In addition, the invention can be practiced to produce antibodies for any purpose, such as diagnostic or research purposes, or for passive immunization by transfer to another subject.
The present invention further provides a kit comprising one or more compositions of this invention. It would be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the kit of this invention can comprise one or more containers and/or receptacles to hold the reagents (e.g., antibodies, antigens, nucleic acids) of the kit, along with appropriate buffers and/or diluents and/or other solutions and directions for using the kit, as would be well known in the art. Such kits can further comprise adjuvants and/or other immunostimulatory or immunomodulating agents, as are well known in the art.
The compositions and kits of the present invention can also include other medicinal agents, pharmaceutical agents, carriers, diluents, immunostimulatory cytokines, etc. Actual methods of preparing such dosage forms are known, or will be apparent, to those skilled in this art.
Administration to a subject can be by any route known in the art. As non-limiting examples, the route of administration can be by inhalation (e.g., oral and/or nasal inhalation), oral, buccal (e.g., sublingual), rectal, vaginal, topical (including administration to the airways), intraocular, transdermal, by parenteral (e.g., intramuscular [e.g., administration to skeletal muscle], intravenous, intra-arterial, intraperitoneal and the like), subcutaneous (including administration into the footpad), intradermal, intrapleural, intracerebral, and/or intrathecal routes.
The epitopes, polypeptides, VLPs and viral vectors of the invention can be delivered per se or by delivering a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) that encodes the same.
Immunomodulatory compounds, such as immunomodulatory chemokines and cytokines (preferably, CTL inductive cytokines) can be administered concurrently to a subject.
Cytokines may be administered by any method known in the art. Exogenous cytokines may be administered to the subject, or alternatively, a nucleic acid encoding a cytokine may be delivered to the subject using a suitable vector, and the cytokine produced in vivo. In particular embodiments, a viral adjuvant expresses the cytokine.
In embodiments of the invention, multiple dosages (e.g., two, three or more) of a composition of the invention can be administered without detectable pathogenicity (e.g., Dengue Shock Syndrome/Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever).
Pharmaceutical formulations (e.g., immunogenic formulation) comprising the dengue virus epitopes, polypeptides, chimeric flavivirus VLPs or chimeric flavivirus particles, nucleic acids, vectors, cells or compositions of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also provided, and can be formulated for administration in a pharmaceutical carrier in accordance with known techniques. See, e.g., Remington, The Science and Practice of Pharmacy (latest edition). In the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition according to embodiments of the present invention, the composition of the invention is typically admixed with, inter alia, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. By “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is meant a carrier that is compatible with other ingredients in the pharmaceutical composition and that is not harmful or deleterious to the subject. The carrier may be a solid or a liquid, or both, and is preferably formulated with the composition of the invention as a unit-dose formulation, for example, a tablet, which may contain from about 0.01 or 0.5% to about 95% or 99% by weight of the composition. The pharmaceutical compositions are prepared by any of the well-known techniques of pharmacy including, but not limited to, admixing the components, optionally including one or more accessory ingredients. In certain embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is sterile and would be deemed suitable for administration into human subjects according to regulatory guidelines for pharmaceutical compositions comprising the carrier.
Furthermore, a “pharmaceutically acceptable” component such as a salt, carrier, excipient or diluent of a composition according to the present invention is a component that (i) is compatible with the other ingredients of the composition in that it can be combined with the compositions of the present invention without rendering the composition unsuitable for its intended purpose, and (ii) is suitable for use with subjects as provided herein without undue adverse side effects (such as toxicity, irritation, and allergic response). Side effects are “undue” when their risk outweighs the benefit provided by the composition. Non-limiting examples of pharmaceutically acceptable components include any of the standard pharmaceutical carriers such as phosphate buffered saline solutions, water, emulsions such as oil/water emulsion, microemulsions and various types of wetting agents.
In some embodiments, the compositions of the invention can further comprise one or more than one adjuvant. The adjuvants of the present invention can be in the form of an amino acid sequence, and/or in the form or a nucleic acid encoding an adjuvant. When in the form of a nucleic acid, the adjuvant can be a component of a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide(s) or fragment(s) or epitope(s) and/or a separate component of the composition comprising the nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide(s) or fragment(s) or epitope(s) of the invention. According to the present invention, the adjuvant can also be an amino acid sequence that is a peptide, a protein fragment or a whole protein that functions as an adjuvant, and/or the adjuvant can be a nucleic acid encoding a peptide, protein fragment or whole protein that functions as an adjuvant. As used herein, “adjuvant” describes a substance, which can be any immunomodulating substance capable of being combined with a composition of the invention to enhance, improve or otherwise modulate an immune response in a subject.
In further embodiments, the adjuvant can be, but is not limited to, an immunostimulatory cytokine (including, but not limited to, GM/CSF, interleukin-2, interleukin-12, interferon-gamma, interleukin-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, hematopoietic factor flt3L, CD40L, B7.1 co-stimulatory molecules and B7.2 co-stimulatory molecules), SYNTEX adjuvant formulation 1 (SAF-1) composed of 5 percent (wt/vol) squalene (DASF, Parsippany, N.J.), 2.5 percent Pluronic, L121 polymer (Aldrich Chemical, Milwaukee), and 0.2 percent polysorbate (Tween 80, Sigma) in phosphate-buffered saline. Suitable adjuvants also include an aluminum salt such as aluminum hydroxide gel (alum), aluminum phosphate, or algannmulin, but may also be a salt of calcium, iron or zinc, or may be an insoluble suspension of acylated tyrosine, or acylated sugars, cationically or anionically derivatized polysaccharides, or polyphosphazenes.
Other adjuvants are well known in the art and include without limitation MF 59, LT-K63, LT-R72 (Pal et al. Vaccine 24(6):766-75 (2005)), QS-21, Freund's adjuvant (complete and incomplete), aluminum hydroxide, N-acetyl-muramyl-L-threonyl-D-isoglutamine (thr-MDP), N-acetyl-normuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (CGP 11637, referred to as nor-MDP), N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl-L-alanine-2-(1′-2′-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-hydroxyphosphoryloxy)-ethylamine (CGP 19835A, referred to as MTP-PE) and RIBI, which contains three components extracted from bacteria, monophosphoryl lipid A, trealose dimycolate and cell wall skeleton (MPL+TDM+CWS) in 2% squalene/Tween 80 emulsion.
Additional adjuvants can include, for example, a combination of monophosphoryl lipid A, preferably 3-de-O-acylated monophosphoryl. lipid A (3D-MPL) together with an aluminum salt. An enhanced adjuvant system involves the combination of a monophosphoryl lipid A and a saponin derivative, particularly the combination of QS21 and 3D-MPL as disclosed in PCT publication number WO 94/00153, or a less reactogenic composition where the QS21 is quenched with cholesterol as disclosed in PCT publication number WO 96/33739. A particularly potent adjuvant formulation involving QS21 3D-MPL & tocopherol in an oil in water emulsion is described in PCT publication number WO 95/17210. In addition, the nucleic acid compositions of the invention can include an adjuvant by comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the antigen and a nucleotide sequence that provides an adjuvant function, such as CpG sequences. Such CpG sequences, or motifs, are well known in the art.
An adjuvant for use with the present invention, such as, for example, an immunostimulatory cytokine, can be administered before, concurrent with, and/or within a few hours, several hours, and/or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and/or 10 days before and/or after the administration of a composition of the invention to a subject.
Furthermore, any combination of adjuvants, such as immunostimulatory cytokines, can be co-administered to the subject before, after and/or concurrent with the administration of an immunogenic composition of the invention. For example, combinations of immunostimulatory cytokines, can consist of two or more immunostimulatory cytokines, such as GM/CSF, interleukin-2, interleukin-12, interferon-gamma, interleukin-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, hematopoietic factor flt3L, CD40L, B7.1 co-stimulatory molecules and B7.2 co-stimulatory molecules. The effectiveness of an adjuvant or combination of adjuvants can be determined by measuring the immune response produced in response to administration of a composition of this invention to a subject with and without the adjuvant or combination of adjuvants, using standard procedures, as described herein and as known in the art.
In embodiments of the invention, the adjuvant comprises an alphavirus adjuvant as described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,829.
Boosting dosages can further be administered over a time course of days, weeks, months or years. In chronic infection, initial high doses followed by boosting doses may be advantageous.
The pharmaceutical formulations of the invention can optionally comprise other medicinal agents, pharmaceutical agents, stabilizing agents, buffers, carriers, diluents, salts, tonicity adjusting agents, wetting agents, and the like, for example, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sorbitan monolaurate, triethanolamine oleate, etc.
For injection, the carrier will typically be a liquid. For other methods of administration, the carrier may be either solid or liquid. For inhalation administration, the carrier will be respirable, and is typically in a solid or liquid particulate form.
The compositions of the invention can be formulated for administration in a pharmaceutical carrier in accordance with known techniques. See, e.g., Remington, The Science and Practice of Pharmacy (9th Ed. 1995). In the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition according to the invention, the VLPs are typically admixed with, inter alia, an acceptable carrier. The carrier can be a solid or a liquid, or both, and is optionally formulated with the compound as a unit-dose formulation, for example, a tablet. A variety of pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous carriers can be used, e.g., water, buffered water, 0.9% saline, 0.3% glycine, hyaluronic acid, pyrogen-free water, pyrogen-free phosphate-buffered saline solution, bacteriostatic water, or Cremophor EL[R] (BASF, Parsippany, N.J.), and the like. These compositions can be sterilized by conventional techniques. The formulations of the invention can be prepared by any of the well-known techniques of pharmacy.
The pharmaceutical formulations can be packaged for use as is, or lyophilized, the lyophilized preparation generally being combined with a sterile aqueous solution prior to administration. The compositions can further be packaged in unit/dose or multi-dose containers, for example, in sealed ampoules and vials.
The pharmaceutical formulations can be formulated for administration by any method known in the art according to conventional techniques of pharmacy. For example, the compositions can be formulated to be administered intranasally, by inhalation (e.g., oral inhalation), orally, buccally (e.g., sublingually), rectally, vaginally, topically, intrathecally, intraocularly, transdermally, by parenteral administration (e.g., intramuscular [e.g., skeletal muscle], intravenous, subcutaneous, intradermal, intrapleural, intracerebral and intra-arterial, intrathecal), or topically (e.g., to both skin and mucosal surfaces, including airway surfaces).
For intranasal or inhalation administration, the pharmaceutical formulation can be formulated as an aerosol (this term including both liquid and dry powder aerosols). For example, the pharmaceutical formulation can be provided in a finely divided form along with a surfactant and propellant. Typical percentages of the composition are 0.01-20% by weight, preferably 1-10%. The surfactant is generally nontoxic and soluble in the propellant. Representative of such agents are the esters or partial esters of fatty acids containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, such as caproic, octanoic, lauric, palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, olesteric and oleic acids with an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol or its cyclic anhydride. Mixed esters, such as mixed or natural glycerides may be employed. The surfactant may constitute 0.1-20% by weight of the composition, preferably 0.25-5%. The balance of the composition is ordinarily propellant. A carrier can also be included, if desired, as with lecithin for intranasal delivery. Aerosols of liquid particles can be produced by any suitable means, such as with a pressure-driven aerosol nebulizer or an ultrasonic nebulizer, as is known to those of skill in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,729. Aerosols of solid particles can likewise be produced with any solid particulate medicament aerosol generator, by techniques known in the pharmaceutical art. Intranasal administration can also be by droplet administration to a nasal surface.
Injectable formulations can be prepared in conventional forms, either as liquid solutions or suspensions, solid forms suitable for solution or suspension in liquid prior to injection, or as emulsions. Alternatively, one can administer the pharmaceutical formulations in a local rather than systemic manner, for example, in a depot or sustained-release formulation.
Extemporaneous injection solutions and suspensions can be prepared from sterile powders, granules and tablets of the kind previously described. For example, an injectable, stable, sterile formulation of the invention in a unit dosage form in a sealed container can be provided. The formulation can be provided in the form of a lyophilizate, which can be reconstituted with a suitable pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to form a liquid composition suitable for injection into a subject. The unit dosage form can be from about 1 μg to about 10 grams of the formulation. When the formulation is substantially water-insoluble, a sufficient amount of emulsifying agent, which is pharmaceutically acceptable, can be included in sufficient quantity to emulsify the formulation in an aqueous carrier. One such useful emulsifying agent is phosphatidyl choline.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral administration can be presented in discrete units, such as capsules, cachets, lozenges, or tables, as a powder or granules; as a solution or a suspension in an aqueous or non-aqueous liquid; or as an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion. Oral delivery can be performed by complexing a compound(s) of the present invention to a carrier capable of withstanding degradation by digestive enzymes in the gut of an animal. Examples of such carriers include plastic capsules or tablets, as known in the art. Such formulations are prepared by any suitable method of pharmacy, which includes the step of bringing into association the protein(s) and a suitable carrier (which may contain one or more accessory ingredients as noted above). In general, the pharmaceutical formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimately admixing the compound(s) with a liquid or finely divided solid carrier, or both, and then, if necessary, shaping the resulting mixture. For example, a tablet can be prepared by compressing or molding a powder or granules, optionally with one or more accessory ingredients. Compressed tablets are prepared by compressing, in a suitable machine, the formulation in a free-flowing form, such as a powder or granules optionally mixed with a binder, lubricant, inert diluent, and/or surface active/dispersing agent(s). Molded tablets are made by molding, in a suitable machine, the powdered protein moistened with an inert liquid binder.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for buccal (sub-lingual) administration include lozenges comprising the compound(s) in a flavored base, usually sucrose and acacia or tragacanth; and pastilles in an inert base such as gelatin and glycerin or sucrose and acacia.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for parenteral administration can comprise sterile aqueous and non-aqueous injection solutions, which preparations are preferably isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient. These preparations can contain antioxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes, which render the composition isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient. Aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions, solutions and emulsions can include suspending agents and thickening agents. Examples of nonaqueous solvents are propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, vegetable oils such as olive oil, and injectable organic esters such as ethyl oleate. Aqueous carriers include water, alcoholic/aqueous solutions, emulsions or suspensions, including saline and buffered media. Parenteral vehicles include sodium chloride solution, Ringer's dextrose, dextrose and sodium chloride, lactated Ringer's, or fixed oils. Intravenous vehicles include fluid and nutrient replenishers, electrolyte replenishers (such as those based on Ringer's dextrose), and the like. Preservatives and other additives may also be present such as, for example, antimicrobials, anti-oxidants, chelating agents, and inert gases and the like.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for rectal administration are optionally presented as unit dose suppositories. These can be prepared by admixing the active agent with one or more conventional solid carriers, such as for example, cocoa butter and then shaping the resulting mixture.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for topical application to the skin preferably take the form of an ointment, cream, lotion, paste, gel, spray, aerosol, or oil. Carriers that can be used include, but are not limited to, petroleum jelly, lanoline, polyethylene glycols, alcohols, transdermal enhancers, and combinations of two or more thereof. In some embodiments, for example, topical delivery can be performed by mixing a pharmaceutical formulation of the present invention with a lipophilic reagent (e.g., DMSO) that is capable of passing into the skin.
Pharmaceutical formulations suitable for transdermal administration can be in the form of discrete patches adapted to remain in intimate contact with the epidermis of the subject for a prolonged period of time. Formulations suitable for transdermal administration can also be delivered by iontophoresis (see, for example, Pharmaceutical Research 3:318 (1986)) and typically take the form of a buffered aqueous solution of the compound(s). Suitable formulations can comprise citrate or bis\tris buffer (pH 6) or ethanol/water and can contain from 0.1 to 0.2M active ingredient.
In embodiments of the invention, the dosage of a virus particle of this invention can be in a range of about 104 to about 107 plaque forming units (PFUs). In embodiments of this invention, the dosage of a VLP of this invention can be in a range of about 500 micrograms to about 5 milligrams. In embodiments of this invention, the dosage of a protein of this invention can be in a range of about 100 to about 104 micrograms+/−adjuvant.
Further, the composition can be formulated as a liposomal formulation. The lipid layer employed can be of any conventional composition and can either contain cholesterol or can be cholesterol-free. The liposomes that are produced can be reduced in size, for example, through the use of standard sonication and homogenization techniques.
The liposomal formulations can be lyophilized to produce a lyophilizate which can be reconstituted with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as water, to regenerate a liposomal suspension.
The immunogenic formulations of the invention can optionally be sterile, and can further be provided in a closed pathogen-impermeable container.
Four crystal structures of the DENV2 sE dimer, each similar while containing differences that represent the conformations available to the DENV2 sE dimer, were used as input for design simulations. The structures were prepared for the design simulations by energy minimizing them with the FastRelax algorithm in Rosetta. Notably, this protocol only makes small structural perturbations (RMSD<0.5 Å), but lowers the calculated energy of the model as specific contacts are optimized according to the Rosetta energy function.
Two different computational protocols were used to identify DENV2 sE stabilizing mutations: PM_ssm and cluster_mut. PM_ssm is an exhaustive site-saturation mutagenesis protocol which identifies point mutations (PMs) predicted to stabilize the sE dimer and/or monomer. The protocol starts at the first residue in the protein and walks through the entire primary sequence, one position at a time, mutating the WT AA to each of the 20 AA in independent simulations. Since the sE homodimer was being modeled, mutations were simultaneously placed on both chains. After mutating a residue, the conformation of the mutated residue and surrounding residues were energy optimized with iterative rounds of rotamer-based side chain sampling and gradient-based minimization of side chain and backbone torsion angles. To minimize noise in the energy optimization simulations, residues distant from the site of mutation were constrained to remain in their initial conformation while residues immediately adjacent to the site of the mutation were energy optimized without constraints. The calculated energy of mutating to the same amino acid (AA) as wildtype (WT) was used as reference to calculate the change in rosetta energy (ΔREU, rosetta energy units) upon mutation, a ΔREU>−2 cutoff was used to select the best scoring mutations (
The Cluster_mut protocol was used to identify small numbers of favorable mutations (about 2 to about 4) in close proximity with each other. The protocol incorporated a “design sphere” in which all residues within 7 Å of, and including, a seed residue were allowed to mutate to any AA except cysteine (
To focus the cluster_mut design simulations, seed residues in regions within the DENV2 sE protein were identified that were hypothesized to contribute to protein dimer and/or monomer instability. First, regions at the DENV2 sE dimer interface were selected to increase dimer stability. Three regions were identified with residues making contacts at the sE dimer interface at the central “αB helix” interface, the DI/ij-loop interface and the fusion loop (FL) interface (
We also sought to stabilize the dimer by stabilizing the sE monomer. The DENV has evolved the E protein to have conformational instability to adopt the multiple conformations necessary for the virus life cycle. While not wishing to be bound to theory, the dimer and monomer instability of sE may be linked to the inherent flexibility and dynamic structure of the E glycoprotein, and that stabilizing the E monomer in the conformation observed in the dimer could improve dimer affinity. The DENV2 sE dimer was analyzed using the RosettaHoles protocol to identify underpacked regions present in the core, domain-domain interface or dimer interface. Underpacked regions contain small voids and have been shown to contribute to protein instability. RosettaHoles identified four main underpacked regions: 1) the DI/DIII domain interface known as the DI/DIII linker; 2) the DI/DII domain interface, also known as the hinge region; 3) the core of DI; and 4) at the central αB helix and FL dimer interfaces (
Assessment of the DENV2 sE protein also revealed a large number of surface exposed hydrophobic residues that are buried either on the viral surface or at the post-fusion trimer interface. These hydrophobic residues were manually selected for input for the surface hydrophobic to polar (SHP) simulations, using a modified PM_comb protocol, where only polar amino acids were allowed to be assessed during the design at these positions.
After performing the various design simulations, eight designs were selected from each of the protocols: PM_Comb (PM), UndPk, HCat and IntFc, and two designs from the SHP simulations for experimental studies. Recent studies have also demonstrated that the sE protein dimer can be stabilized recombinant by introducing disulfides across the dimer interface. Two of these variants, Cm1 (A259C) and Cm2 (L107C, A313C), were used in these studies. For negative control experiments, two mutants (Mnmer1 and Mnmer2) from the PM_ssm results were used that were predicted to destabilize the dimer with the goal of creating sE protein that would remain monomer even at higher concentrations and low temperature.
Mammalian surface display screen identifies Rosetta sE designs with improved quaternary antibody epitope presentation at 37° C. To ensure the mutations allowed for sE dimer formation and to compare the ability of the variants to present quaternary epitopes at 37° C. relative to WT sE, it was investigated if known quaternary epitope antibodies can bind to the designed Rosetta sE variants. To do this the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of MHC-I alpha chain (SEQ ID NO:3) were fused to the c-terminus of the DENV2 sE protein using a GS linker (SEQ ID NO:2), allowing for surface display of the protein on EXPI293 cells. The construct was further modified by a cMyc epitope tag inserted within the GS linker for independent detection of sE surface display (
Retention of quaternary epitopes at >37° C. was tested by staining the surface-displayed sE Rosetta variants with 2D22 or EDE1 C10 at 40° C. In contrast to the 23° C. screen, minimal binding of 2D22 and EDE1 C10 to DENV2 sE WT was observed (
DENV2 sE Rosetta variants increase expression and improve both sE dimer and monomer stability: Direct measuring of the stability of the DENV2 sE Rosetta variants was performed using nanoscale Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (nanoDSF). 22 selected variants and Mnmer2, Cm1, and Cm2 were cloned into a mammalian expression plasmid without prM containing a c-terminal His8× tag (SEQ ID NO:4) for Ni-affinity purification and n-terminal human serum albumin (HSA) signal peptide (SEQ ID NO:1) for extracellular secretion. It has been indicated that prM co-expression is not necessary for sE expression and folding, therefore the expression construct was designed to eliminate potential problems with co-expressing prM with variants containing mutations near the pr/E binding site and to prevent additional purification steps needed to ensure removal of pr, important for preventing unwanted anti-prM antibody elicitation in future vaccine experiments. The constructs were transiently transfected into EXPI293F cells at a 60-120 mL scale, after which the His-tag proteins secreted in the media were directly affinity purified using a penta-Ni resin (Marvelgent). Despite the low yields observed with DENV2 sE WT (˜0.2 mg/L), this protocol yielded high purity directly from the nickel resin, eliminating the further loss of protein through multiple purification steps and allowing direct performance of nanoDSF measurements with no additional preparation. Out of the 22 variants tested, one variant (IntFc6) did not express, consistent with 40° C. surface display data, five variants had lower than WT expression, eight variants had WT expression level, as well as Mnmer2, and eight had yields greater than 2-fold with drastic improvements in expression observed for DENV2 sE Rosetta variants PM4 (10-fold), IntFc8 (19.1-fold) and UndPk6 (22.5-fold) (Table 1). While Mnmer2 had WT expression yields, Cm1 and Cm2 both had below detectable yields when expressed at the same scale.
Dimer and monomer stability of these variants was assessed using nanoDSF. DENV2 sE dimer dissociation (Tm1) and protein unfolding (Tm2) can be detected in a single thermal melt experiment (
The homodimer affinity of the most stable dimer variants was quantified by performing nanoDSF at concentrations ranging from 2-16 μM, allowing measurement of variant sE dimer affinity (Kd) using a Van′t Hoff Analysis. All variants and WT showed increasing Tm1 values with increasing concentration, with a measured Kd of 12.9 μM for DENV2 sE WT at 37° C. (Table 1). Consistent with the improvements in Tm, IntFc2 had an extrapolated Kd of 8 nM at 37° C., a >1000 fold increase in dimer affinity over WT. Similarly, IntFc8 and UndPk6 showed an improved extrapolated Kd at 37° C. of 219 nM and 238 nM, respectively (a ˜50 fold improvement over WT). To further validate the improved dimer stability of these variants, exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) was used to measure these variants oligomeric state at 37° C. Consistent with the previous characterization at RT, WT eluted with two peaks, the first at ˜14 mL with a molar mass of 91 kDa, and the second at ˜15 mL with a molar mass (MM) of 58 kDa, consistent with the previous characterization that the WT is in a monomer-dimer equilibrium, favoring the dimer conformation at lower temperature and high concentration (
Combining stabilizing mutations further increases DENV2 sE dimer stability and expression levels: The SEC-MALS analysis suggested that, while the initial designs had improved dimer stability at 37° C., they may not have sufficient stability to remain dimers under vaccination conditions (e.g., 37° C. and low protein concentrations). To find combinations of mutations that would boost dimer stability even further, 28 stable combination (SC) variants were tested that were built from the most stabilizing designs: IntFc2, IntFc8, UndPk6, PM4 and HCat3 (Table 1). The SC variants were expressed, purified, and tested for dimer and monomer stability using nanoDSF thermal melts. All SC variants had improved expression levels compared to WT, with some increasing yield>70 fold (Table 1). Except for SC.20, all the SC variants containing dimer stabilizing mutations had at least an 8° C. increase in Tm1. The most stable dimer variant, SC.4, which contained 13 mutations, had a Tm1 of 56.7° C., which is a 22.5° C. increase over wild type (
The homodimer Kd at 37° C. of the SC variants was measured by performing nanoDSF at varying protein concentrations, measuring Tm1 and using a Van′t Hoff analysis to estimate binding affinity at 37° C. Consistent with the large improvements in Tm1, all SC variants containing dimer stabilizing mutations had Kds at 37° C. with nM affinity and 16 out of 28 SC variants had extrapolated Kds<100 pM. One variant SC.14 was able to raise Tm1 by 16.1° C. and lowered the Kd at 37° C. to 1 nM with only four mutations from two of the best stabilizing dimer mutation sets, IntFc2 and UndPk6. Just adding one additional mutation, G106D (IntFc8), to SC.14 to make SC.10 raised Tm1 19.8° C. and lowered the homodimer Kd further to <100 pM (Table 1). While not wishing to be bound to theory, the exceptional stability of the SC.10 dimer may be likely due to simultaneously stabilizing the central dimer interface (IntFc2), the hinge (U6) and the FL dimer interface (IntFc8), all critical regions that regulate dimer stability. Consistent with the nanoDSF data, both SC.14 and SC.10 eluted as a single peak upon analysis with SEC-MALS at 37° C. with MM of 99.5 and 102.2 kDa, respectively, similar to the disulfide stabilized sE dimer, Cm1 (
DENV2 sE SC.10 adopts the same dimer conformation as the EDE1 C8 bound sE dimer: The crystal structure of SC.10 was solved in order to determine if SC.10 maintained a dimer structure similar to WT sE and check the accuracy of the Rosetta design models. SC.10 was concentrated to 3.25 mg/mL, and buffer exchanged into a low salt Tris buffer prior to crystallization. SC.10 hexagonal crystals formed after three days using the sitting drop method at 21° C. in 15% PEG 3350 pH 4.4, 0.1M sodium acetate and 0.1M sodium iodide, that diffracted to a final resolution of 3.42 Å. The diffraction data was processed and the phases were obtained by molecular replacement (MR) by using chain A of PDB 1OAN, the DENV2 sE crystal structure used for the design of IntFc2, IntFc8 and UndPk6. Successful MR required input of two models from the sE monomer chain of 1OAN, one model containing DI/DII and the second containing DIII. The model obtained from MR was refined to a Rfree/Rwork of 33.7/31.8, with the asymmetric unit containing a single sE monomer. Despite the low pH crystal condition, SC.10 adopted the biological DENV2 sE dimer conformation (
Analysis of multiple DENV2 sE crystal structures has revealed that the DI/DII hinge angle is variable, consistent with the intrinsic dynamics and multiple conformations the E protein can adopt. To see if the changes in the SC.10 dimer conformation were dependent on the hinge angle, the DI and DIII of the sE monomer from 1OAN and 4UTA were aligned to the DI and DIII of the SC.10 monomer. Both had nearly identical DI/DIII conformations when aligned to DI and DIII of SC.10, with a Cα RMSD of only 1.0 Å (1OAN) and 0.8 Å (4UTA). In contrast there was a larger difference in the conformation of DII relative to DI and DIII for the sE monomer in 4UTA and SC.10 compared to 1OAN (
Electron density was observed for all of the mutations, IntFc2, IntFc8, and UndPk6, in the SC.10 crystal structure. Both UndPk6 mutations are present on the kl loop. F279W fills an underpacked region in the hinge. T280P is at the base of the kl loop, and with the mutation the loop was shifted so that a backbone-side chain hydrogen bond is formed between the P280 carbonyl to the T189 sidechain hydroxyl in the adjacent loop. This hydrogen bond was not observed in either 1OAN or 4UTA. In the SC.10 structure, the density for the kl loop was well defined, suggesting that adding P280 at the base of the kl loop stabilized the observed kl conformation, which is similarly stabilized by interactions between the EDE1 C8 Fab and the kl loop when it is bound to sE in 4UTA. This was consistent with the observation that loop conformations can be stabilized with the insertion of proline at the loop ends, and that the T280P mutation contributed the most to dimer stability increase in UndPk6 (Table 1). On the underside of the central dimer interface, both IntFc2 mutations are present on the αB helix with T262R making two new dimer contacts: a pi-cation interaction directly with A259W and a new side chain hydrogen bond to the backbone carbonyl of P218. These are both present on adjacent monomer in the sE dimer and both observed in the IntFc2 Rosetta model (
DENV2 sE SC.14 & SC.10 elicit DENV2 envelope dimer specific antibodies in mice: The data indicated that SC.14 and SC.10 are stable dimers at 37° C. and efficiently present quaternary antibody epitopes at low concentrations. In order to determine if these stable dimers could elicit E protein dimer-specific antibodies in mice, female Balb/c mice (n=5) were immunized on day 0 with 5 μg of DENV2 sE Mnmer2, WT, SC.14, and SC.10 formulated in isotonic sucrose/H2O and boosted with 5 μg of each protein on days 21 and 56, with blood collected on day 112 to harvest serum for analysis. The study was designed without adjuvant to measure the innate immune response to each protein antigen and eliminate adjuvant bias. To test total anti-DENV2 IgG titers sera was diluted 1:50 and a 6-fold serial dilution performed for each immunization group's five mice and tested for serum IgG binding against DENV2 in a capture ELISA. All of the groups immunized with DENV2 sE Mnmer2, WT, SC.14, and SC.10 produced similar levels of antibodies that bind to DENV2, with SC.10 having a slightly lower, but not statistically significant, mean titer.
Depletion experiments were used to assess if dimer specific antibodies were being elicited by mice immunized with DENV2 sE monomers (Mnmer2 and WT) or DENV2 sE dimers (SC.14 & S C.10). Two sets of magnetic beads were generated, one loaded with DENV2 sE monomers, using DENV2 sE Mnmer2 which remains monomeric in solution, and the other set of beads loaded with DENV2 sE dimers, using the stable dimer DENV2 sE SC.14, onto Ni-NTA magnetic beads via both protein's c-terminal 8× Histidine-tag (
To validate the depletion protocol, sE monomer loaded beads or sE dimer loaded beads were incubated with 3H5, a DIII epitope antibody that binds monomer, and 2D22, a dimer-specific quaternary epitope antibody, to see if sE monomer or sE dimer beads could deplete these antibodies. Undepleted 3H5 bound to both sE monomer and sE dimer in a direct ELISA coated with either Mnmer2 or SC.14. In contrast, and similar to the antibody binding direct ELISA experiments, only sE dimer beads were able to deplete 2D22, confirming that the depletion strategy can differentiate between E monomer and E dimer-specific quaternary epitope antibodies.
The sera from all four DENV2 sE protein mouse immunized groups (Mnmer2, WT, SC.10, and SC.14) 1:50 were diluted and depleted for 2-3 rounds with either sE monomer loaded magnetic beads (monomer depleted) or sE dimer loaded magnetic beads (dimer depleted) for 1 hr at 37° C., with the beads magnetically removed after each round and the sera supplemented with new sE loaded beads for each subsequent round of depletion. As a negative control, sera were depleted with beads loaded with His-tagged Spycatcher protein (control depleted) to account for non-specific antibody depletion. Undepleted and depleted sera were titrated against DENV2 in a capture ELISA to assess binding of serum antibodies post-depletion. As expected, both undeleted and control depleted sera gave similar ELISA signals against DENV2 (
In the DENV2 ELISA analysis of both SC.14 and SC.10, the signal for the monomer-depleted sera at the lowest dilutions was higher than the undepleted sera (
This study was able to computationally predict multiple DENV2 sE dimer and monomer stabilizing mutations. The most stable variants have homodimer Kds less than 100 pM at 37° C., compared to 12 μM for WT, and overall protein thermostability was raised by more than 18° C. Strikingly, adding only 1-2 mutations increased expression by up to ˜20-fold and by combining these mutations, >70-fold. This increase in expression was also observed without co-expression of prM, which reduced additional purification steps and testing required to ensure no prM is present in the final sE vaccine formulation prior to immunization, as prM presents non-neutralizing epitopes that can elicit antibodies that cause ADE. Taken together, these stability and expression improvements aid in the practical consideration of producing these proteins at the scale that would be needed to create subunit vaccines.
Furthermore, this study demonstrated that alternate combinations of the mutations can be used to select for desired stability, expression and oligomerization properties. For example, the affinity of the DENV2 sE dimer was tunable by combining the dimer stabilizing mutations IntFc2, IntFc8 and UndPk6 at different regions of the sE protein to create the SC.10 stable dimer. Combining Mnmer2 with PM4 (SC.25) retained the protein as a monomer while increasing expression and improving protein stability (Table 1). These mutations can also be combined with the previously published cysteine mutations, to increase the stability and expression of the covalently stabilized dimers (Table 1, SC.28). While this study focused on DENV2 sE, the computationally targeted DENV2 sE regions are largely conserved in other DENV serotype and flavivirus E proteins, including Zika, suggesting that this strategy can be applied to improve the stability and expression of other flavivirus E protein.
The most stabilizing mutation sets (IntFc2, IntFc8, UndPk6 and PM4) all targeted regions of the E protein that are important for the DENV infection cycle. IntFc2 creates new contacts on the “underside” of the E dimer that would natively be interacting with the M protein on the DENV envelope. UndPk6 stabilized the DI/DII hinge, a region where mutations have been shown to affect the pH threshold for viral infection. UndPk6 stabilized the sE dimer without any new contacts at the dimer interface (
Rosetta predicted only a small number of unique mutations in near the FL that would still preserve native sE dimer formation that would be favorable, one being G106D, the IntFc8 variant, suggesting that the FL dimer interface is already largely optimized with favorable contacts. IntFc8 stabilizes the sE dimer, reduces FLE presentation, and drastically improves expression (
To validate the analysis that these mutations affect E regions important for the virus life cycle, the PM4, IntFc8 and UndPk6 mutations were cloned into the E gene of the DENV2 16681 RNA genome and transfected the RNA into C6/36 cells. Only propagation of DENV2 16681 WT was observed and no propagation of the mutated viruses, indicating that these mutations either prevent virus production or render the virus non-infectious. The same results were observed when transfecting the RNA genome of DENV2 16681 WT and DENV2 16681 PM4 virus into Vero-81, confirming the lack of mutated virus propagation was not cell line dependent. This data was also consistent with the DENV2 sE SC.10 stable dimer, which contains IntFc2, IntFc8 and Undpk6, crystallizing as the biological sE dimer under low pH conditions that typically favor the E trimer, supporting the long-standing notion that stabilizing the dimer, whether with antibodies or, in this case, dimer stabilizing mutations, renders the virus non-infectious. These results suggest that the virus has evolved the E protein to contain these local instability regions for functional purposes, allowing for adoption of multiple E conformations required for infection.
The improvements in the dimer stability for sE variants also provided improved quaternary epitope presentation at 37° C. Enhanced binding of both type-specific (2D22) and cross-reactive (EDE1 C8 & EDE2 A11) known neutralizing quaternary epitope antibodies to both DENV2 sE SC.14 & SC.10 variants are consistent with the improved dimer stability and stable epitope presentation at 37° C. Additionally, SC.10 crystallized in the same sE dimer conformation that WT E adopts when bound by EDE1 C8, consistent with the improved binding of EDE1 C8 to SC.10 observed in the ELISA experiment (
A primary purpose of designing stabilized DENV2 sE dimers was to assess if these stabilized dimers can elicit quaternary epitope antibodies that target the E dimer. This study provides the first evidence that stabilized DENV2 sE dimers can elicit E dimer-specific antibodies in vivo. It was observed that these antibodies are low in abundance and in competition for similar monomer specific antibody epitope regions. This has also been observed during natural infection, as the monomer-specific FLE and dimer-specific EDE antibodies elicited compete for similar epitope regions on the DENV E protein. Furthermore, is has been shown that the EDE antibodies have a higher affinity to DENV and are more potently neutralizing than the FLE antibodies. A similar trend was observed in this study, with the E dimer-specific antibodies having increased binding to DENV2 after depletion of the mouse serum monomer-specific antibodies with Mnmer2.
While quaternary epitope antibodies were observed in SC.10 and SC.14 mouse immunized sera, a substantial fraction of elicited IgG was able to be depleted by the DENV2 sE Mnmer2 protein, suggesting both of these proteins still also antibodies that target epitopes within the DENV2 sE monomer. These monomer epitope antibodies may represent both potently neutralizing antibodies, such as 3H5 (DIII) and 3F9 (DI) for DENV2, and poorly neutralizing antibody epitopes including FLE antibodies such as 4G2 and 1M7, which have been shown to play a role in causing ADE.
Cell Lines and Viruses: EXPI293F (ThermoFisher, Cat: A14527) cells were maintained in EXPI293 expression media at 37° C., 8% CO2 at 250 rpm without antibiotics, until passage 25 to improve batch-to-batch reproducibility. Insect C6/36 (CRL-1660) cells were grown at 32° C. with 5% CO2 in minimal essential medium (MEM) media supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin. Vero-81 (CCL-81) cells were obtained from ATCC. Vero cells were grown at 37° C. with 5% CO2 in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin, 1% GlutaMax, 1% Sodium Bicarbonate, 1% non-essential amino acids. The RNA genome of DENV2 strain 16681 was used for cloning of stabilizing mutations for transfection into C6/36 for virus induction.
DENV2 sE protein construct design, cloning and plasmid preparation for cell surface display and soluble expression: DNA encoding the DENV2 (strain 16681) soluble envelope protein, sE (res1-394), lacking the stem and transmembrane domains, was cloned into the modified PαH mammalian expression vector, originally derived from pHLSec vector by substitution of an alternative multiple cloning site containing a CAG promoter and human serum albumin signal peptide, replacing the original PTPα signal sequence. DENV2 sE was expressed for both mammalian cell surface display and soluble expression using the same pαH vector backbone and plasmids were renamed to differentiate function. For mammalian surface display, sE genes were cloned into the pD2sE_Dsp display vector, which genetically fuses a GS6×-cMyc-GS7× linker and the MHC Iα transmembrane/cytoplasmic domains to the c-terminus of sE; for membrane anchoring, a cMyc epitope tag was added for independent detection of sE surface display; for soluble expression, sE genes were cloned into the pD2sE_EV8 expression vector containing a c-terminal GS6×-His8× tag for nickel affinity purification. All DENV2 sE Rosetta variant and SC variant cloning was performed by Twist Biosciences. DENV2 sE cloned plasmids were heat-shock transformed into E. coli DH5a cells for amplification, miniprepped or midiprepped using DNA endotoxin-free kits and stored in endotoxin-free H2O at −20° C.
Mouse immunizations: Female Balb/c mice were inoculated at 6 weeks of age. Each mouse was immunized subcutaneously with 5 μg of either DENV2 rE monomer (n=5), rE wild type (n=5), rE disulfide dimer (n=5), rE Rosetta dimer (n=5), rE Rosetta dimer FLmut (n=5), all formulated in isotonic 9.25% sucrose/H2O, or vehicle alone (n=3). All groups received 3 immunizations (day 0, 21 and 56) and serum samples were collected on day 21, 28, 63 and 112 by submandibular bleed.
Cloning, transfection and immunostaining of DENV2 16681 containing stabilizing mutations: Dengue virus 2 (DENV2) infectious clones were designed by subdividing the DENV2 genome into a plasmid system. Wild type and mutant DENV2 pre membrane and envelope sequences were synthetically derived and introduced into a four-plasmid infectious clone system utilizing the DENV2 16681 strain. Plasmids were transformed, miniprepped, digested, and analyzed by gel electrophoresis for accuracy. Digested DENV2 fragments were then ligated together and purified by a chloroform extraction. DENV2 full-length genomic RNA was then generated using T7 RNA polymerase. Infectious genome-length DENV2 RNA transcripts were electroporated into C6/36 (CRL-1660) cells. Four days later, cell supernatants were harvested and cells were immunostained to confirm virus recovery. The recovered viruses were sequenced to confirm sequence identity. Four days after viral RNA electroporation, cells were washed with 1×PBS and fixed with 10% Formalin for 20 min at room temperature. Fixed cells were then permeabilized by washing twice with 5 ml of 1× Permeabilization buffer (ThermoFisher). Fixed and permeabilized cells were then blocked for 10 minutes at room temperature with blocking buffer (1× Permeabilization buffer containing 5% non-fat dry milk). Fixed and permeabilized cells were stained with anti-prM hybridoma, 2H2, and anti-E hybridoma, 4G2, at 1:1000 diluted in blocking buffer for 30 min at 37° C. Fixed and permeabilized cells were then washed three times with 1×PBS and were stained with an anti-mouse horseradish peroxidase (H1RP)-labeled secondary antibody for 30 min at 37° C. After washing three times with 1×PBS, foci were visualized with TrueBlue substrate compared to cells electroporated with 1×PBS.
Using computational modeling of the DENV2 soluble recombinant envelope protein (sRecE), amino acid mutations were identified that were capable of (1) stabilizing the DENV2 sRecE dimer conformation at human body temperature (e.g., 37° C.) while retaining human DENV neutralizing antibody epitopes; (2) improving total protein stability by up to 18° C. (to a temperature of about 69.3° C.) compared to the wildtype parent protein; and (3) improving expression levels and final production yield by up to 72.9 fold compared to the wildtype parent protein. These mutations stabilized the dimer by targeting distinct instability regions throughout the sRecE protein.
A modeling strategy was implemented that targeted regions of instability at the sRecE dimer interface, as shown in
The Fusion Peptide (also referred to as the Fusion Loop) is an immunodominant epitope. Antibodies that target this region are poorly neutralizing and may lead to enhancement of disease. The fusion loop epitope is buried in the sRecE dimer, thus a stabilized dimer (e.g., comprising stabilizing mutations of the present invention) may prevent exposure of the fusion loop epitope, thereby not eliciting disease enhancing fusion loop antibodies during vaccination. For example, a stabilized E glycoprotein of the present invention, IntFc8, is stabilized in dimer conformation as compared to the WT sRecE and comprises a G106D mutation in the fusion loop. Mutating this position prevents binding of fusion loop binding antibodies, and this study shows that this mutation also helps with dimer stability, suggesting that this mutation may prevent elicitation of these disease enhancing antibodies in a vaccine application.
The quaternary epitopes as described in Example 1 are conserved in other flaviviruses such as ZIKV, as shown in
To test in vivo efficacy, mice were primed and boosted on week 3 and week 9 with soluble rE monomer (“rEM”) and rE dimer (“rED”), and ZIKV IgG levels and neutralizing antibody levels were analyzed at week 16 (
The percentage of antibodies that bind to EDIII was evaluated by performing EDIII serum depletion assays, as shown in
Sera from mice that were immunized with monomers or dimers were transferred to mice that were permissive to ZIKV infection. Mice that received monomer sera lost significant amounts of body weight and were not protected against ZIKV viral challenge, while mice that were inoculated with dimer induced mouse sera were able to protect (
Current approaches for producing flavivirus VLPs require co-expression of full length prM to promote secretion from the cell and boost production yields. A downside of this approach is that pr is inefficiently cleaved from the particles and remains as a dominant epitope that elicits non-neutralizing antibodies implicated in antibody dependent enhancement. As shown in Example 1, by stabilizing the E dimer with the stabilizing mutations it was possible to create DENV VLPs without co-expression of pr. This strategy may result in particles that more closely resemble mature DENV and are safer to use as vaccines.
To establish the feasibility of producing DENV VLPs without pr, expression experiments were performed with four DENV2 constructs: (1) prM along with WT E, (2) M along with WT E, (3) prM along with the E protein stabilized with the mutations sets I8-U6-PM4, and (4) M along with the E protein stabilized with I8-U6-PM4 (
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention, and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
All publications, patent applications, patents, nucleotide sequences, amino acid sequences, GenBank accession numbers and other references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for the teachings relevant to the sentence and/or paragraph in which the reference is presented.
N/A: Not applicable; no melting transition observed and no Van′t Hoff fit obtained
B.D.: Below detection; insufficient 280 nm absorbance to quantify concentration, protein band observed via SDS-PAGE analysis post purification at given scale
N.D.: No detection; unable to observe protein band via SDS-PAGE analysis post purification at given scale
Gray: not tested
DR 2: Dimer Region 2, DI and ij loop Dimer Interface
This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/883,382, filed Aug. 6, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
This invention was made with government support under Grant Number W81XWH1820035 awarded by the Department of Defense. The government has certain rights in the invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2020/045241 | 8/6/2020 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62883382 | Aug 2019 | US |