Nanovaccine based on self-assembling nonstructural protein 1 boosts antibody responses to Zika virus

Author(s)

Pinho Favaro, Marianna Teixeira ^[1] ; Rodrigues-Jesus, Monica Josiane ^[1] ; Venceslau-Carvalho, Alexia Adrianne ^[1] ; Dos Santos Alves, Rubens Prince ^[1] ; Pereira, Lennon Ramos ^[1] ; Pereira, Samuel Santos ^[1] ; Andreata-Santos, Robert ^[1] ; de Souza Ferreira, Luis Carlos ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Microbiol Dept, Vaccine Dev Lab, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Nanomedicine-Nanotechnology Biology and Medicine; v. 32, FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Self-assembling proteins may be generated after the addition of short specific amino acid sequences at both the N- and C-terminal ends. To date, this approach has not been evaluated regarding the impact of self-assembled proteins on the induction of immune responses. In the present study, we report the application of this experimental approach to the immunogenicity of protein antigens by measuring the antibody responses in mice immunized with nanoparticles made with a recombinant form of Zika virus nonstructural protein 1 (Delta NS1). The results clearly indicated that Delta NS1-derived nanoparticles (NP-Delta NS1) are assembled into a 3-dimensional structure with a high degree of multimerization. While Delta NS1 proved to be a weak immunogen, immunization with NP-Delta NS1 enhanced subunit vaccines' immunogenicity with improved longevity in vaccinated mice. Thus, immunization with self-assembled antigens (nanovaccines) represents a new and promising strategy to enhance NS1-specific antibodies' induction based on purified recombinant proteins. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/20045-7 - Antigen discovery and development of serological diagnostic methods and vaccine approaches against the Zika Virus (ZIKV)
• Grantee: Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/08199-4 - Nanovaccines: a novel experimental concept applied to the development of subunit vacines.
• Grantee: Marianna Teixeira de Pinho Favaro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral