Elucidating the Structural and Minimal Protective Epitope of the Serogroup X Meningococcal Capsular Polysaccharide.

Despite the considerable progress toward the eradication of meningococcal disease with the introduction of glycoconjugate vaccines, previously unremarkable serogroup X has emerged in recent years, recording several outbreaks throughout the African continent. Different serogroup X polysaccharide-based vaccines have been tested in preclinical trials, establishing the principles for further improvement. To elucidate the antigenic determinants of the MenX capsular polysaccharide, we generated a monoclonal antibody, and its bactericidal nature was confirmed using the rabbit serum bactericidal assay.

Publisher Correction: A stabilized glycomimetic conjugate vaccine inducing protective antibodies against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20120-4.

A stabilized glycomimetic conjugate vaccine inducing protective antibodies against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A.

Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A capsular polysaccharide (MenA CPS) consists of (1 → 6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating units, O-acetylated at position C3 or C4. Glycomimetics appear attractive to overcome the CPS intrinsic lability in physiological media, due to cleavage of the phosphodiester bridge, and to develop a stable vaccine with longer shelf life in liquid formulation. Here, we generate a series of non-acetylated carbaMenA oligomers which are proven more stable than the CPS.

Combined Chemical Synthesis and Tailored Enzymatic Elongation Provide Fully Synthetic and Conjugation-Ready Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup X Vaccine Antigens.

Studies on the polymerization mode of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup X capsular polymerase CsxA recently identified a truncated construct that can be immobilized and used for length controlled on-column production of oligosaccharides. Here, we combined the use of a synthetic acceptor bearing an appendix for carrier protein conjugation and the on-column process to a novel chemo-enzymatic strategy. After protein coupling of the size optimized oligosaccharide produced by the one-pot elongation procedure, we obtained a more homogeneous glycoconjugate compared to the one previously described starting from the natural polysaccharide.

An efficient cell free enzyme-based total synthesis of a meningococcal vaccine candidate.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a global health problem and vaccination has proven the most effective way of disease control. serogroup X (X) is an emerging threat in the African sub-Saharan meningitis belt, but no vaccine is available today. Leading vaccines against are glycoconjugates, in which capsular polysaccharides isolated from large-scale pathogen cultures are conjugated to adjuvant proteins.

A Synthetic Disaccharide Analogue from Neisseria meningitidis A Capsular Polysaccharide Stimulates Immune Cell Responses and Induces Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Production in Mice When Protein-Conjugated.

Some new phosphonoester-linked oligomers, stabilized analogues of the corresponding phosphate-bridged oligomers of Neisseria meningitidis A (MenA) capsular polysaccharide (CPS), were conjugated to human serum albumin (HSA), as a protein carrier model, and studied for immunological activities. We determined (i) in vitro, their biocompatibility (CAM test) and activity in inducing both T cell proliferation (CFSE method) and IL-2 release (ELISA), and (ii) in vivo, their ability to stimulate specific IgG antibody production (ELISA). All HSA-conjugated compounds induce T cell proliferation (40% of proliferation at 10(2) μM), whereas only the phosphonodisaccharide was effective (28% of proliferation at 10(2) μM) among the unconjugated forms.

Novel adjuvant Alum-TLR7 significantly potentiates immune response to glycoconjugate vaccines.

Although glycoconjugate vaccines are generally very efficacious, there is still a need to improve their efficacy, especially in eliciting a strong primary antibody response. We have recently described a new type of vaccine adjuvant based on a TLR7 agonist adsorbed to alum (Alum-TLR7), which is highly efficacious at enhancing immunogenicity of protein based vaccines. Since no adjuvant has been shown to potentiate the immune response to glycoconjugate vaccines in humans, we investigated if Alum-TLR7 is able to improve immunogenicity of this class of vaccines.

Preclinical studies on new proteins as carrier for glycoconjugate vaccines.

Glycoconjugate vaccines are made of carbohydrate antigens covalently bound to a carrier protein to enhance their immunogenicity. Among the different carrier proteins tested in preclinical and clinical studies, five have been used so far for licensed vaccines: Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoids, the non-toxic mutant of diphtheria toxin CRM197, the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B and the Protein D derived from non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. Availability of novel carriers might help to overcome immune interference in multi-valent vaccines containing several polysaccharide-conjugate antigens, and also to develop vaccines which target both protein as well saccharide epitopes of the same pathogen.

Carrier priming effect of CRM197 is related to an enhanced B and T cell activation in meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccination. Immunological comparison between CRM197 and diphtheria toxoid.

Glycoconjugate vaccines are composed of capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) of a pathogenic bacteria covalently linked to carrier proteins. Pre-exposure to the carrier is known to influence the efficacy of the glycoconjugate, by inducing enhanced or suppressed anti-CPS response. Following our previous work on the immunogenicity of diphtheria toxin mutant CRM197 and formaldehyde-treated diphtheria toxoid (DT) as carriers for meningococcal A (MenA) conjugates in mouse model, we further investigated the role of the carrier on the immunological response to glycoconjugate vaccines.

Carrier priming with CRM 197 or diphtheria toxoid has a different impact on the immunogenicity of the respective glycoconjugates: biophysical and immunochemical interpretation.

Glycoconjugate vaccines play an enormous role in preventing infectious diseases. The main carrier proteins used in commercial conjugate vaccines are the non-toxic mutant of diphtheria toxin (CRM197), diphtheria toxoid (DT) and tetanus toxoid (TT). Modern childhood routine vaccination schedules include the administration of several vaccines simultaneously or in close sequence, increasing the concern that the repeated exposure to conjugates based on these carrier proteins might interfere with the anti-polysaccharide response.

Synthesis and immunological evaluation of protein conjugates of Neisseria meningitidis X capsular polysaccharide fragments.

A vaccine to prevent infections from the emerging Neisseria meningitidis X (MenX) is becoming an urgent issue. Recently MenX capsular polysaccharide (CPS) fragments conjugated to CRM197 as carrier protein have been confirmed at preclinical stage as promising candidates for vaccine development. However, more insights about the minimal epitope required for the immunological activity of MenX CPS are needed.

Investigating the immunodominance of carbohydrate antigens in a bivalent unimolecular glycoconjugate vaccine against serogroup A and C meningococcal disease.

Multicomponent constructs, obtained by coupling different glycans to the carrier protein, have been proposed as a way to co-deliver multiple surface carbohydrates targeting different strains of one pathogen and reduce the number of biomolecules in the formulation of multivalent vaccines. To assess the feasibility of this approach for anti-microbial vaccines and investigate the potential immunodominance of one carbohydrate antigen over the others in these constructs, we designed a bivalent unimolecular vaccine against serogroup A (MenA) and C (MenC) meningococci, with the two different oligomers conjugated to same molecule of carrier protein (CRM197). The immune response elicited in mice by the bivalent MenAC construct was compared with the ones induced by the monovalent MenA and MenC vaccines and their combinations.

Recombinant Clostridium difficile toxin fragments as carrier protein for PSII surface polysaccharide preserve their neutralizing activity.

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive bacterium and is the most commonly diagnosed cause of hospital-associated and antimicrobial-associated diarrhea. Despite the emergence of epidemic C. difficile strains having led to an increase in the incidence of the disease, a vaccine against this pathogen is not currently available.

Development of a glycoconjugate vaccine to prevent meningitis in Africa caused by meningococcal serogroup X.

Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of bacterial meningitis worldwide, especially in the African meningitis belt, and has a high associated mortality. The meningococcal serogroups A, W, and X have been responsible for epidemics and almost all cases of meningococcal meningitis in the meningitis belt over the past 12 y. Currently no vaccine is available against meningococcal X (MenX).

Immunoactivity of protein conjugates of carba analogues from Neisseria meningitidis a capsular polysaccharide.

Neisseria meningitidis type A (MenA) is a Gram-negative encapsulated bacterium that is a major cause of epidemic meningitis, especially in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. The development and manufacture of a liquid glycoconjugate vaccine against MenA are hampered by the poor hydrolytic stability of its capsular polysaccharide (CPS), consisting of (1→6)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating units. The replacement of the ring oxygen with a methylene group to generate a carbocyclic analogue leads to enhancement of its chemical stability.

Comparison of CRM197, diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid as protein carriers for meningococcal glycoconjugate vaccines.

Glycoconjugate vaccines are among the most effective and safest vaccines ever developed. Diphtheria toxoid (DT), tetanus toxoid (TT) and CRM197 have been mostly used as protein carriers in licensed vaccines. We evaluated the immunogenicity of serogroup A, C, W-135 and Y meningococcal oligosaccharides conjugated to CRM197, DT and TT in naïve mice.

Synthesis of Staphylococcus aureus type 5 capsular polysaccharide repeating unit using novel L-FucNAc and D-FucNAc synthons and immunochemical evaluation.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial infections. Glycoconjugates of type 5 and 8 capsular polysaccharides have been investigated for vaccine application. The proposed structure of type 5 polysaccharide is: →4-β-D-ManNAcA-(1→4)-α-L-FucNAc(3OAc)-(1→3)-β-D-FucNAc-(1→.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of carba analogues from Neisseria meningitidis A capsular polysaccharide.

The Gram-negative encapsulated bacterium Neisseria meningitidis type A (MenA) is a major cause of meningitis in developing countries, especially in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. The development and manufacture of an efficient glycoconjugate vaccine against MenA is greatly hampered by the poor hydrolytic stability of its capsular polysaccharide, consisting of (1→6)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl phosphate repeating units. The replacement of the ring oxygen with a methylene group to get a carbocyclic analogue leads to the loss of the acetalic character of the phosphodiester and consequently to the enhancement of its chemical stability.

Phosphorylation of the synthetic hexasaccharide repeating unit is essential for the induction of antibodies to Clostridium difficile PSII cell wall polysaccharide.

Clostridium difficile is emerging worldwide as a major cause of nosocomial infections. The negatively charged PSII polysaccharide has been found in different strains of C. difficile and, thereby, represents an important target molecule for a possible carbohydrate-based vaccine.

Rational design of a meningococcal antigen inducing broad protective immunity.

The sequence variability of protective antigens is a major challenge to the development of vaccines. For Neisseria meningitidis, the bacterial pathogen that causes meningitis, the amino acid sequence of the protective antigen factor H binding protein (fHBP) has more than 300 variations. These sequence differences can be classified into three distinct groups of antigenic variants that do not induce cross-protective immunity.

Preparation, characterization and immunogenicity of HIV-1 related high-mannose oligosaccharides-CRM197 glycoconjugates.

The dense glycan shield on the surface of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 masks conserved protein epitopes and facilitates virus entry via interaction to glycan binding proteins on susceptible host cells. The broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody 2G12 binds a cluster of high-mannose oligosaccharides on the gp120 subunit of HIV-1 Env protein. This oligomannose epitope is currently being considered for the design of a synthetic vaccine.

Streptococcus pyogenes SpyCEP: a chemokine-inactivating protease with unique structural and biochemical features.

SpyCEP is a 170-kDa multidomain serine protease expressed on the surface of the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes, which plays an important role in infection by catalyzing cleavage and inactivation of the neutrophil chemoattractant interleukin-8. In this study, we investigated the biochemical features and maturation process of SpyCEP, starting from a recombinant form of the protease expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. We show that active recombinant SpyCEP differs from other bacterial proteases in that it is constituted by 2 noncovalently linked fragments derived from autocatalytic processing, an N-terminal fragment of 210 aa bearing one of the 3 catalytic triad residues, and a 1369-residue C-terminal polypeptide containing the remaining 2 catalytic amino acids.

Neisseria meningitidis GNA2132, a heparin-binding protein that induces protective immunity in humans.

GNA2132 is a Neisseria meningitidis antigen of unknown function, discovered by reverse vaccinology, which has been shown to induce bactericidal antibodies in animal models. Here we show that this antigen induces protective immunity in humans and it is recognized by sera of patients after meningococcal disease. The protein binds heparin in vitro through an Arg-rich region and this property correlates with increased survival of the unencapsulated bacterium in human serum.

Beta-glucan-CRM197 conjugates as candidates antifungal vaccines.

A laminarin-diphtheria toxoid (CRM197) conjugate vaccine conferred protection against fungal infections in mice. We have now generated novel beta-glucan-CRM197 vaccines, with either natural (Curd-CRM197) or synthetic linear (15mer-CRM197), or beta-(1,6)-branched (17mer-CRM197) beta-(1,3)-oligosaccharides, formulated with the human-acceptable adjuvant MF59. Curd-CRM197 and 15mer-CRM197 conjugates, which induced high titers of anti-beta-(1,3)-glucan IgG, but no antibodies against beta-(1,6)-glucan, conferred protection to mice lethally challenged with C.