Successful topical respiratory tract immunization of primates against Ebola virus

Ebola virus causes outbreaks of severe viral hemorrhagic fever with high mortality in humans. The virus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by contact and by the aerosol route. These features make Ebola virus a potential weapon for bioterrorism and biological warfare. Therefore, a vaccine that induces both systemic and local immune responses in the respiratory tract would be highly beneficial. We evaluated a common pediatric respiratory pathogen, human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3), as a vaccine vector against Ebola virus. HPIV3 recombinants expressing the Ebola virus (Zaire species) surface glycoprotein (GP) alone or in combination with the nucleocapsid protein NP or with the cytokine adjuvant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were administered by the respiratory route to rhesus monkeys--in which HPIV3 infection is mild and asymptomatic--and were evaluated for immunogenicity and protective efficacy against a highly lethal intraperitoneal challenge with Ebola virus. A single immunization with any construct expressing GP was moderately immunogenic against Ebola virus and protected 88% of the animals against severe hemorrhagic fever and death caused by Ebola virus. Two doses were highly immunogenic, and all of the animals survived challenge and were free of signs of disease and of detectable Ebola virus challenge virus. These data illustrate the feasibility of immunization via the respiratory tract against the hemorrhagic fever caused by Ebola virus. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which topical immunization through respiratory tract achieved prevention of a viral hemorrhagic fever infection in a primate model.     

Ebola GP-specific monoclonal antibodies protect mice and guinea pigs from lethal Ebola virus infection

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes acute hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with mortality rates up to 90%. So far there are no effective treatments available. This study evaluates the protective efficacy of 8 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Ebola glycoprotein in mice and guinea pigs. Immunocompetent mice or guinea pigs were given MAbs i.p. in various doses individually or as pools of 3-4 MAbs to test their protection against a lethal challenge with mouse- or guinea pig-adapted EBOV. Each of the 8 MAbs (100 μg) protected mice from a lethal EBOV challenge when administered 1 day before or after challenge. Seven MAbs were effective 2 days post-infection (dpi), with 1 MAb demonstrating partial protection 3 dpi. In the guinea pigs each MAb showed partial protection at 1 dpi, however the mean time to death was significantly prolonged compared to the control group. Moreover, treatment with pools of 3-4 MAbs completely protected the majority of animals, while administration at 2-3 dpi achieved 50-100% protection. This data suggests that the MAbs generated are capable of protecting both animal species against lethal Ebola virus challenge. These results indicate that MAbs particularly when used as an oligoclonal set are a potential therapeutic for post-exposure treatment of EBOV infection.     

Protective efficacy of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in a nonhuman primate model of Ebola hemorrhagic fever

Ebola virus (EBOV) is the causative agent of severe hemorrhagic fever in primates, with human case fatality rates up to 90%. Today, there is neither a licensed vaccine nor a treatment available for Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF). Single monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) have been successfully used in passive immunization experiments in rodent models, but have failed to protect nonhuman primates from lethal disease. In this study, we used two clones of human-mouse chimeric MAbs (ch133 and ch226) with strong neutralizing activity against ZEBOV and evaluated their protective potential in a rhesus macaque model of EHF. Reduced viral loads and partial protection were observed in animals given MAbs ch133 and ch226 combined intravenously at 24 hours before and 24 and 72 hours after challenge. MAbs circulated in the blood of a surviving animal until virus-induced IgG responses were detected. In contrast, serum MAb concentrations decreased to undetectable levels at terminal stages of disease in animals that succumbed to infection, indicating substantial consumption of these antibodies due to virus replication. Accordingly, the rapid decrease of serum MAbs was clearly associated with increased viremia in non-survivors. Our results indicate that EBOV neutralizing antibodies, particularly in combination with other therapeutic strategies, might be beneficial in reducing viral loads and prolonging disease progression during EHF.     

Persistent infection with ebola virus under conditions of partial immunity

Ebola hemorrhagic fever in humans is associated with high mortality; however, some infected hosts clear the virus and recover. The mechanisms by which this occurs and the correlates of protective immunity are not well defined. Using a mouse model, we determined the role of the immune system in clearance of and protection against Ebola virus. All CD8 T-cell-deficient mice succumbed to subcutaneous infection and had high viral antigen titers in tissues, whereas mice deficient in B cells or CD4 T cells cleared infection and survived, suggesting that CD8 T cells, independent of CD4 T cells and antibodies, are critical to protection against subcutaneous Ebola virus infection. B-cell-deficient mice that survived the primary subcutaneous infection (vaccinated mice) transiently depleted or not depleted of CD4 T cells also survived lethal intraperitoneal rechallenge for >/==" BORDER="0">25 days. However, all vaccinated B-cell-deficient mice depleted of CD8 T cells had high viral antigen titers in tissues following intraperitoneal rechallenge and died within 6 days, suggesting that memory CD8 T cells by themselves can protect mice from early death. Surprisingly, vaccinated B-cell-deficient mice, after initially clearing the infection, were found to have viral antigens in tissues later (day 120 to 150 post-intraperitoneal infection). Furthermore, following intraperitoneal rechallenge, vaccinated B-cell-deficient mice that were transiently depleted of CD4 T cells had high levels of viral antigen in tissues earlier (days 50 to 70) than vaccinated undepleted mice. This demonstrates that under certain immunodeficiency conditions, Ebola virus can persist and that loss of primed CD4 T cells accelerates the course of persistent infections. These data show that CD8 T cells play an important role in protection against acute disease, while both CD4 T cells and antibodies are required for long-term protection, and they provide evidence of persistent infection by Ebola virus suggesting that under certain conditions of immunodeficiency a host can harbor virus for prolonged periods, potentially acting as a reservoir.     

Protection from Ebola virus mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for the viral nucleoprotein

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are proposed to be critical for protection from intracellular pathogens such as Ebola virus. However, there have been no demonstrations that protection against Ebola virus is mediated by Ebola virus-specific CTLs. Here, we report that C57BL/6 mice vaccinated with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicons encoding the Ebola virus nucleoprotein (NP) survived lethal challenge with Ebola virus. Vaccination induced both antibodies to the NP and a major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted CTL response to an 11-amino-acid sequence in the amino-terminal portion of the Ebola virus NP. Passive transfer of polyclonal NP-specific antiserum did not protect recipient mice. In contrast, adoptive transfer of CTLs specific for the Ebola virus NP protected unvaccinated mice from lethal Ebola virus challenge. The protective CTLs were CD8(+), restricted to the D(b) class I molecule, and recognized an epitope within amino acids 43 to 53 (VYQVNNLEEIC) in the Ebola virus NP. The demonstration that CTLs can prevent lethal Ebola virus infection affects vaccine development in that protective cellular immune responses may be required for optimal protection from Ebola virus.     

CD8-mediated protection against Ebola virus infection is perforin dependent

CD8 T cells have been shown to play an important role in the clearance and protection against fatal Ebola virus infection. In this study, we examined the mechanisms by which CD8 T cells mediate this protection. Our data demonstrate that all normal mice infected s.c. with a mouse-adapted Ebola virus survived the infection, as did 100% of mice deficient in Fas and 90% of those deficient in IFN-gamma. In contrast, perforin-deficient mice uniformly died after s.c. challenge. Perforin-deficient mice failed to clear viral infection even though they developed normal levels of neutralizing anti-Ebola Abs and 5- to 10-fold higher levels of IFN-gamma than control mice. Using MHC class I tetramers, we have also shown that perforin-deficient mice have 2- to 4-fold higher numbers of Ebola-specific CD8s than control mice. These findings suggest that the clearance of Ebola virus is perforin-dependent and provide an additional example showing that this basic immunologic mechanism is not limited to the clearance of noncytopathic viruses.     

抗埃博拉病毒药物研究近期动态

对抗埃博拉病毒新药的近期研究成果以及业界提出或可用于治疗埃博拉出血热的已上市药物进行总结归纳,旨在为抗埃博拉病毒药物的进一步开发及埃博拉出血热治疗方案的探索提供参考。     

CD8+ cellular immunity mediates rAd5 vaccine protection against Ebola virus infection of nonhuman primates

Vaccine-induced immunity to Ebola virus infection in nonhuman primates (NHPs) is marked by potent antigen-specific cellular and humoral immune responses; however, the immune mechanism of protection remains unknown. Here we define the immune basis of protection conferred by a highly protective recombinant adenovirus virus serotype 5 (rAd5) encoding Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) in NHPs. Passive transfer of high-titer polyclonal antibodies from vaccinated Ebola virus-immune cynomolgus macaques to naive macaques failed to confer protection against disease, suggesting a limited role of humoral immunity. In contrast, depletion of CD3(+) T cells in vivo after vaccination and immediately before challenge eliminated immunity in two vaccinated macaques, indicating a crucial requirement for T cells in this setting. The protective effect was mediated largely by CD8(+) cells, as depletion of CD8(+) cells in vivo using the cM-T807 monoclonal antibody (mAb), which does not affect CD4(+) T cell or humoral immune responses, abrogated protection in four out of five subjects. These findings indicate that CD8(+) cells have a major role in rAd5-GP-induced immune protection against Ebola virus infection in NHPs. Understanding the immunologic mechanism of Ebola virus protection will facilitate the development of vaccines for Ebola and related hemorrhagic fever viruses in humans.     

Development of vaccines for prevention of Ebola virus infection

Ebola virus infection causes severe hemorrhagic fevers with high fatality rates up to 90% in humans, for which no effective treatment is currently available. The ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa that has caused over 14,000 human infections and over 5000 deaths underscores its serious threat to the public health. While licensed vaccines against Ebola virus infection are still not available, a number of vaccine approaches have been developed and shown to protect against lethal Ebola virus infection in animal models. This review aims to summarize the advancement of different strategies for Ebola vaccine development with a focus on the discussion of their protective efficacies and possible limitations. In addition, the development of animal models for efficacy evaluation of Ebola vaccines and the mechanism of immune protection against Ebola virus infection are also discussed.     

Induction of humoral and CD8+ T cell responses are required for protection against lethal Ebola virus infection

Ebola virus (EBOV)-like particles (eVLP), composed of the EBOV glycoprotein and matrix viral protein (VP)40 with a lipid membrane, are a highly efficacious method of immunization against EBOV infection. The exact requirements for immunity against EBOV infection are poorly defined at this time. The goal of this work was to determine the requirements for EBOV immunity following eVLP vaccination. Vaccination of BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice with eVLPs in conjunction with QS-21 adjuvant resulted in mixed IgG subclass responses, a Th1-like memory cytokine response, and protection from lethal EBOV challenge. Further, this vaccination schedule led to the generation of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) IFN-gamma(+) T cells recognizing specific peptides within glycoprotein and VP40. The transfer of both serum and splenocytes, but not serum or splenocytes alone, from eVLP-vaccinated mice conferred protection against lethal EBOV infection in these studies. B cells were required for eVLP-mediated immunity to EBOV because B cell-deficient mice vaccinated with eVLPs were not protected from lethal EBOV challenge. We also found that CD8(+), but not CD4(+), T cells are absolutely required for eVLP-mediated protection against EBOV infection. Further, eVLP-induced protective mechanisms were perforin-independent, but IFN-gamma-dependent. Taken together, both EBOV-specific humoral and cytotoxic CD8(+) T cell responses are critical to mediate protection against filoviruses following eVLP vaccination.     

Durability of a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Marburg Virus Vaccine in Nonhuman Primates

The filoviruses, Marburg virus (MARV) and Ebola virus, causes severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality in humans and nonhuman primates. A promising filovirus vaccine under development is based on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) that expresses individual filovirus glycoproteins (GPs) in place of the VSV glycoprotein (G). These vaccines have shown 100% efficacy against filovirus infection in nonhuman primates when challenge occurs 28–35 days after a single injection immunization. Here, we examined the ability of a rVSV MARV-GP vaccine to provide protection when challenge occurs more than a year after vaccination. Cynomolgus macaques were immunized with rVSV-MARV-GP and challenged with MARV approximately 14 months after vaccination. Immunization resulted in the vaccine cohort of six animals having anti-MARV GP IgG throughout the pre-challenge period. Following MARV challenge none of the vaccinated animals showed any signs of clinical disease or viremia and all were completely protected from MARV infection. Two unvaccinated control animals exhibited signs consistent with MARV infection and both succumbed. Importantly, these data are the first to show 100% protective efficacy against any high dose filovirus challenge beyond 8 weeks after final vaccination. These findings demonstrate the durability of VSV-based filovirus vaccines.     

Mechanisms of Immunity in Post-Exposure Vaccination against Ebola Virus Infection

Ebolaviruses can cause severe hemorrhagic fever that is characterized by rapid viral replication, coagulopathy, inflammation, and high lethality rates. Although there is no clinically proven vaccine or treatment for Ebola virus infection, a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine is effective in mice, guinea pigs, and non-human primates when given pre-infection. In this work, we report that VLPs protect Ebola virus-infected mice when given 24 hours post-infection. Analysis of cytokine expression in serum revealed a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels in mice given VLPs post-exposure compared to infected, untreated mice. Using knockout mice, we show that VLP-mediated post-exposure protection requires perforin, B cells, macrophages, conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), and either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. Protection was Ebola virus-specific, as marburgvirus VLPs did not protect Ebola virus-infected mice. Increased antibody production in VLP-treated mice correlated with protection, and macrophages were required for this increased production. However, NK cells, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha were not required for post-exposure-mediated protection. These data suggest that a non-replicating Ebola virus vaccine can provide post-exposure protection and that the mechanisms of immune protection in this setting require both increased antibody production and generation of cytotoxic T cells.     

A pandemic strain of calicivirus threatens rabbit industries in the Americas

The filoviruses, Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV), cause a lethal hemorrhagic fever. Human isolates of MARV are not lethal to immmunocompetent adult mice and, to date, there are no reports of a mouse-adapted MARV model. Previously, a uniformly lethal EBOV-Zaire mouse-adapted virus was developed by performing 9 sequential passages in progressively older mice (suckling to adult). Evaluation of this model identified many similarities between infection in mice and nonhuman primates, including viral tropism for antigen-presenting cells, high viral titers in the spleen and liver, and an equivalent mean time to death. Existence of the EBOV mouse model has increased our understanding of host responses to filovirus infections and likely has accelerated the development of countermeasures, as it is one of the only hemorrhagic fever viruses that has multiple candidate vaccines and therapeutics. Here, we demonstrate that serially passaging liver homogenates from MARV-infected severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice was highly successful in reducing the time to death in scid mice from 50–70 days to 7–10 days after MARV-Ci67, -Musoke, or -Ravn challenge. We performed serial sampling studies to characterize the pathology of these scid mouse-adapted MARV strains. These scid mouse-adapted MARV models appear to have many similar properties as the MARV models previously developed in guinea pigs and nonhuman primates. Also, as shown here, the scid-adapted MARV mouse models can be used to evaluate the efficacy of candidate antiviral therapeutic molecules, such as phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers or antibodies.     

Induction of immune responses in mice and monkeys to Ebola virus after immunization with liposome-encapsulated irradiated Ebola virus: protection in mice requires CD4(+) T cells

Ebola Zaire virus (EBO-Z) causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans, with a high mortality rate. It is thought that a vaccine against EBO-Z may have to induce both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to successfully confer protection. Because it is known that liposome-encapsulated antigens induce both antibody and cellular responses, we evaluated the protective efficacy of liposome-encapsulated irradiated EBO-Z [L(EV)], which contains all of the native EBO-Z proteins. In a series of experiments, mice immunized intravenously with L(EV) were completely protected (94/94 mice) against illness and death when they were challenged with a uniformly lethal mouse-adapted variant of EBO-Z. In contrast, only 55% of mice immunized intravenously with nonencapsulated irradiated virus (EV) survived challenge, and all became ill. Treatment with anti-CD4 antibodies before or during immunization with L(EV) eliminated protection, while treatment with anti-CD8 antibodies had no effect, thus indicating a requirement for CD4(+) T lymphocytes for successful immunization. On the other hand, treatment with either anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 antibodies after immunization did not abolish the protection. After immunization with L(EV), antigen-specific gamma interferon (IFN gamma)-secreting CD4(+) T lymphocytes were induced as analyzed by enzyme-linked immunospot assay. Anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody treatment abolished IFN gamma production (80 to 90% inhibition compared to that for untreated mice). Mice immunized with L(EV), but not EV, developed cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific to two peptides (amino acids [aa] 161 to 169 and aa 231 to 239) present in the amino-terminal end of the EBO-Z surface glycoprotein. Because of the highly successful results in the mouse model, L(EV) was also tested in three cynomolgus monkeys. Although immunization of the monkeys with L(EV)-induced virus-neutralizing antibodies against EBO-Z caused a slight delay in the onset of illness, it did not prevent death.     

The pathogenesis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever

Ebola virus causes lethal hemorrhagic disease in humans, yet there are still no satisfactory biological explanations to account for its extreme virulence. This review focuses on recent findings relevant to understanding the pathogenesis of Ebola virus infection and developing vaccines and effective therapy. The available data suggest that the envelope glycoprotein and the interaction of some viral proteins with the immune system are likely to play important roles in the extraordinary pathogenicity of this virus. There are also indications that genetically engineered vaccines, including plasmid DNA and viral vectors expressing Ebola virus proteins, and passive transfer of neutralizing antibodies could be feasible options for the control of Ebola virus-associated disease.     

Evaluation of the European tick‐borne encephalitis vaccine against Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus

This study focused on the antigenic cross‐reactivity between tick‐borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV) to assess the efficacy of the commercial TBE vaccine against OHFV infection. Neutralization tests performed on sera from OHFV‐ and TBEV‐infected mice showed that neutralizing antibodies are cross‐protective. The geometric mean titers of antibodies against TBEV and OHFV from TBEV‐infected mice were similar. However, the titers of anti‐TBEV antibodies in OHFV‐infected mice were significantly lower than those of anti‐OHFV antibodies in the same animals. In mouse vaccination and challenge tests, the TBE vaccine provided 100% protection against OHFV infection. Eighty‐six percent of vaccinees seroconverted against OHFV following complete vaccination, and the geometric mean titers of neutralizing antibodies against OHFV were comparable to those against TBEV. These data suggest that the TBE vaccine can prevent OHFV infection.     

Gene-specific countermeasures against Ebola virus based on antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers

The filoviruses Marburg virus and Ebola virus (EBOV) quickly outpace host immune responses and cause hemorrhagic fever, resulting in case fatality rates as high as 90% in humans and nearly 100% in nonhuman primates. The development of an effective therapeutic for EBOV is a daunting public health challenge and is hampered by a paucity of knowledge regarding filovirus pathogenesis. This report describes a successful strategy for interfering with EBOV infection using antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs). A combination of EBOV-specific PMOs targeting sequences of viral mRNAs for the viral proteins (VPs) VP24, VP35, and RNA polymerase L protected rodents in both pre- and post-exposure therapeutic regimens. In a prophylactic proof-of-principal trial, the PMOs also protected 75% of rhesus macaques from lethal EBOV infection. The work described here may contribute to development of designer, "druggable" countermeasures for filoviruses and other microbial pathogens.     

Immunoglobulin G is the main protective antibody in mouse vaginal secretions after vaginal immunization with attenuated herpes simplex virus type 2.

We investigated the protective role of antibodies in vaginal secretions of mice that were immune to vaginal challenge with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Unfractionated vaginal immunoglobulins from immune and nonimmune mice and affinity-purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) and secretory IgA (S-IgA) from immune secretions were adjusted to their concentrations in vivo. Wild-type HSV-2 was incubated in the immunoglobulin preparations for 15 min in vitro, followed by inoculation into vaginae of nonimmune mice. HSV-2 was neutralized by unfractionated antibody and purified IgG from immune secretions but not by unfractionated nonimmune antibody or by purified immune S-IgA. The protective effect of IgG in vivo was investigated by passively transferring purified serum IgG from immune and nonimmune donors to nonimmune recipients before vaginal challenge infection. Immune IgG significantly reduced the percentage of vaginal epithelium infected, concentrations of shed virus protein in the vaginal lumen, and illness scores, even though the viral antibody titers in serum and vaginal secretions of recipient mice at the time of challenge were only 29 and 8%, respectively, of those in actively immunized mice. Additionally, removal of vaginal secretions from immune mice 10 min before vaginal challenge with HSV-2 significantly increased the concentration of shed virus protein in the vaginal lumen after challenge. Collectively, the data indicate that IgG antibody in vaginal secretions of immune mice provides early protection against vaginal challenge infection, probably by neutralizing virus in the vaginal lumen. In contrast, S-IgA antibody contributed relatively little to immune protection of the vagina.     

Overcoming immunity to a viral vaccine by DNA priming before vector boosting

Replication-defective adenovirus (ADV) and poxvirus vectors have shown potential as vaccines for pathogens such as Ebola or human immunodeficiency virus in nonhuman primates, but prior immunity to the viral vector in humans may limit their clinical efficacy. To overcome this limitation, the effect of prior viral exposure on immune responses to Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP), shown previously to protect against lethal hemorrhagic fever in animals, was studied. Prior exposure to ADV substantially reduced the cellular and humoral immune responses to GP expressed by ADV, while exposure to vaccinia inhibited vaccine-induced cellular but not humoral responses to GP expressed by vaccinia. This inhibition was largely overcome by priming with a DNA expression vector before boosting with the viral vector. Though heterologous viral vectors for priming and boosting can also overcome this effect, the paucity of such clinical viral vectors may limit their use. In summary, it is possible to counteract prior viral immunity by priming with a nonviral, DNA vaccine.