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Basavaraj Binjawadagi,1,2 Varun Dwivedi,1 Cordelia Manickam,1,2 Kang Ouyang,1 Jordi B Torrelles,3 Gourapura J Renukaradhya1,21Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 2Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA; 3Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USAAbstract: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an economically devastating respiratory disease of pigs. The disease is caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), an Arterivirus which is a highly mutating RNA virus. Widely used modified live PRRSV vaccines have failed to prevent PRRS outbreaks and reinfections; moreover, safety of the live virus vaccines is questionable. Though poorly immunogenic, inactivated PRRSV vaccine is safe. The PRRSV infects primarily the lung macrophages. Therefore, we attempted to strengthen the immunogenicity of inactivated/killed PRRSV vaccine antigens (KAg), especially in the pig respiratory system, through: 1) entrapping the KAg in biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NP-KAg); 2) coupling the NP-KAg with a potent mucosal adjuvant, whole cell lysate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb WCL); and 3) delivering the vaccine formulation twice intranasally to growing pigs. We have previously shown that a single dose of NP-KAg partially cleared the challenged heterologous PRRSV. Recently, we reported that NP-KAg coupled with unentrapped M. tb WCL significantly cleared the viremia of challenged heterologous PRRSV. Since PRRSV is primarily a lung disease, our goal in this study was to investigate lung viral load and various immune correlates of protection at the lung mucosal surfaces and its parenchyma in vaccinated heterologous PRRSV-challenged pigs. Our results indicated that out of five different vaccine-adjuvant formulations, the combination of NP-KAg and unentrapped M. tb WCL significantly cleared detectable replicating infective PRRSV with a tenfold reduction in viral RNA load in the lungs, associated with substantially reduced gross and microscopic lung pathology. Immunologically, strong humoral (enhanced virus neutralization titers by high avidity antibodies) and cell-mediated immune responses (augmented population of interferon-γ secreting CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and reduced secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines) in the lungs were observed. In conclusion, combination of NP-KAg and soluble M. tb WCL elicits broadly cross-protective anti-PRRSV immunity in the pig respiratory system.Keywords: PRRSV, mucosal vaccine, PLGA nanoparticles, cross-protection, M. tb WCL

Basavaraj Binjawadagi,1,2 Varun Dwivedi,1 Cordelia Manickam,1,2 Kang Ouyang,1 Yun Wu,3 Ly James Lee,3 Jordi B Torrelles,4 Gourapura J Renukaradhya1,21Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 2Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA; 3NanoScale Science and Engineering Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices, 4Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USAAbstract: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), is an economically devastating disease, causing daily losses of approximately $3 million to the US pork industry. Current vaccines have failed to completely prevent PRRS outbreaks. Recently, we have shown that poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticle-entrapped inactivated PRRSV vaccine (NP-KAg) induces a cross-protective immune response in pigs. To further improve its cross-protective efficacy, the NP-KAg vaccine formulation was slightly modified, and pigs were coadministered the vaccine twice intranasally with a potent adjuvant: Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole-cell lysate. In vaccinated virulent heterologous PRRSV-challenged pigs, the immune correlates in the blood were as follows: 1) enhanced PRRSV-specific antibody response with enhanced avidity of both immunoglobulin (Ig)-G and IgA isotypes, associated with augmented virus-neutralizing antibody titers; 2) comparable and increased levels of virus-specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibody subtypes and production of high levels of both T-helper (Th)-1 and Th2 cytokines, indicative of a balanced Th1–Th2 response; 3) suppressed immunosuppressive cytokine response; 4) increased frequency of interferon-γ+ lymphocyte subsets and expanded population of antigen-presenting cells; and most importantly 5) complete clearance of detectable replicating challenged heterologous PRRSV and close to threefold reduction in viral ribonucleic acid load detected in the blood. In conclusion, intranasal delivery of adjuvanted NP-KAg vaccine formulation to growing pigs elicited a broadly cross-protective immune response, showing the potential of this innovative vaccination strategy to prevent PRRS outbreaks in pigs. A similar approach to control other respiratory diseases in food animals and humans appears to be feasible.Keywords: porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, mucosal vaccine, nanoparticles, cross-protection, pigs

Abstract Background Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes chronic, economically devastating disease in pigs of all ages. Frequent mutations in the viral genome result in viruses with immune escape mutants. Irrespective of regular vaccination, control of PRRSV remains a challenge to swine farmers. In PRRSV-infected pigs, innate cytokine IFN-α is inhibited and the adaptive arm of the immunity is delayed. To elucidate both cellular and innate cytokine responses at very early stages of PRRSV infection, seven weeks old pigs maintained on a commercial pig farm were infected and analyzed. Results One pig in a pen containing 25 pigs was PRRSV infected and responses from this pig and one penmate were assessed two days later. All the infected and a few of the contact neighbor pigs were viremic. At day 2 post-infection, approximately 50% of viremic pigs had greater than 50% reduction in NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and nearly a 1-fold increase in IFN-α production was detected in blood of a few pigs. Enhanced secretion of IL-4 (in ~90%), IL-12 (in ~40%), and IL-10 (in ~20%) (but not IFN-γ) in PRRSV infected pigs was observed. In addition, reduced frequency of myeloid cells, CD4-CD8+ T cells, and CD4+CD8+ T cells and upregulated frequency of lymphocytes bearing natural T regulatory cell phenotype were detected in viremic pigs. Interestingly, all viremic contact pigs also had comparable immune cell modulations. Conclusion Replicating PRRSV in both infected and contact pigs was found to be responsible for rapid modulation in NK cell-meditated cytotoxicity and alteration in the production of important immune cytokines. PRRSV-induced immunological changes observed simultaneously at both cellular and cytokine levels early post-infection appear to be responsible for the delay in generation of adaptive immunity. As the study was performed in pigs maintained under commercial environmental conditions, this study has practical implications in design of protective vaccines.

Respiratory syncytial virus is an important cause of pneumonia in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. The attachment (G) protein of RSV generates neutralizing antibodies in natural RSV infection which correlate with protection against disease. The immune response to RSV is typically short-lived, which may be related to the heavy glycosylation of RSV-G. In order to improve its immunogenicity, we expressed G protein mutants in a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vector system and tested their ability to protect cotton rats from RSV challenge. We found that the most protective construct was codon-optimized RSV-G, followed by wild-type G and membrane-bound G. Constructs which expressed the G protein with reduced glycosylation or the secreted G protein provided either partial or no protection. Our results demonstrate that modifications to the G protein are not advantageous in a VSV vector system, and that an intact, codon-optimized G is a superior vaccine candidate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract (LRT) infections, with increased severity in high-risk human populations, such as infants, the immunocompromised, and the elderly. Although the virus was identified more than 60 years ago, there is still no licensed vaccine available. Over the years, several vaccine delivery strategies have been evaluated. In this study, we developed two recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector-based vaccine candidates expressing the RSV-G (attachment) protein (rVSV-G) or F (fusion) protein (rVSV-F). All vectors were evaluated in the cotton rat animal model for their in vivo immunogenicity and protective efficacy against an RSV-A2 virus challenge. Intranasal (i.n.) delivery of rVSV-G and rVSV-F together completely protected the lower respiratory tract (lungs) at doses as low as 10 3 PFU. In contrast, doses greater than 10 6 PFU were required to protect the upper respiratory tract (URT) completely. Reimmunization of RSV-immune cotton rats was most effective with rVSV-F. In immunized animals, overall antibody responses were sufficient for protection, whereas CD4 and CD8 T cells were not necessary. A prime-boost immunization regimen increased both protection and neutralizing antibody titers. Overall, mucosally delivered rVSV-vector-based RSV vaccine candidates induce protective immunity and therefore represent a promising immunization regimen against RSV infection. IMPORTANCE Even after decades of intensive research efforts, a safe and efficacious RSV vaccine remains elusive. Expression of heterologous antigens from rVSV vectors has demonstrated several practical and safety advantages over other virus vector systems and live attenuated vaccines. In this study, we developed safe and efficacious vaccine candidates by expressing the two major immunogenic RSV surface proteins in rVSV vectors and delivering them mucosally in a prime-boost regimen. The main immune parameter responsible for protection was the antibody response. These vaccine candidates induced complete protection of both the upper and lower respiratory tracts., (Copyright © 2021 American Society for Microbiology.)

Pigs are believed to be one of the important sources of emerging human and swine influenza viruses (SwIV). Influenza virus conserved peptides have the potential to elicit cross-protective immune response, but without the help of potent adjuvant and delivery system they are poorly immunogenic. Biodegradable polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticle (PLGA-NP) based vaccine delivery system enhances cross-presentation of antigens by the professional antigen presenting cells. In this study, Norovirus P particle containing SwIV M2e (extracellular domain of the matrix protein 2) chimera and highly conserved two each of H1N1 peptides of pandemic 2009 and classical human influenza viruses were entrapped in PLGA-NPs. Influenza antibody-free pigs were vaccinated with PLGA-NPs peptides cocktail vaccine twice with or without an adjuvant, Mycobacterium vaccae whole cell lysate, intranasally as mist. Vaccinated pigs were challenged with a virulent heterologous zoonotic SwIV H1N1, and one week later euthanized and the lung samples were analyzed for the specific immune response and viral load. Clinically, pigs vaccinated with PLGA-NP peptides vaccine had no fever and flu symptoms, and the replicating challenged SwIV was undetectable in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Immunologically, PLGA-NP peptides vaccination (without adjuvant) significantly increased the frequency of antigen-specific IFNγ secreting CD4 and CD8 T cells response in the lung lymphocytes, despite not boosting the antibody response both at pre- and post-challenge. In summary, our data indicated that nanoparticle-mediated delivery of conserved H1N1 influenza peptides induced the virus specific T cell response in the lungs and reduced the challenged heterologous virus load in the airways of pigs.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV), which infects primarily the respiratory tract of pigs. Thus intranasal (IN) delivery of a potent vaccine-adjuvant formulation is promising. In this study, PRRS-MLV (VR2332) was coadministered ± an adjuvant Mycobacterium vaccae whole cell lysate or CpG ODN through intramuscular (IM) or IN route as a mist, and challenged with a heterologous PRRSV 1-4-4 IN at 42 days post-vaccination (dpv). At 14 and 26 dpv, vaccine viral RNA copies were one log greater in the plasma of PRRS-MLV IM compared to IN vaccinated pigs, and the infectious replicating vaccine virus was detected only in the IM group. In PRRS-MLV ± adjuvant IM vaccinated pigs, reduced viral RNA load and absence of the replicating challenged virus was observed at 7, 10 and 14 days post-challenge (dpc). At 14 dpc, in BAL fluid ≥ 5 log viral RNA copies were detected in all the pig groups, but the replicating challenged virus was undetectable only in IM groups. Immunologically, virus neutralizing antibody titers in the plasma of IM (but not IN) vaccine groups was ≥ 8 against the vaccine and challenged viruses. At 26 dpv, PRRS-MLV IM (without adjuvant) received pigs had significantly increased population of CD4 and CD8 T cells in PBMC. At 14 dpc, relatively increased population of IFN-γ(+) total lymphocytes, NK, CD4, CD8 and γδ T cells were observed in the MLV-IM group. In conclusion, PRRS-MLV IM vaccination induced the virus specific T cell response in pigs, but still it is required to improve its cross-protective efficacy.

Unlabelled: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) nonstructural protein 1β (nsp1β) is a multifunctional viral protein, which is involved in suppressing the host innate immune response and activating a unique -2/-1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) signal for the expression of frameshifting products. In this study, site-directed mutagenesis analysis showed that the R128A or R129A mutation introduced into a highly conserved motif ((123)GKYLQRRLQ(131)) reduced the ability of nsp1β to suppress interferon beta (IFN-β) activation and also impaired nsp1β's function as a PRF transactivator. Three recombinant viruses, vR128A, vR129A, and vRR129AA, carrying single or double mutations in the GKYLQRRLQ motif were characterized. In comparison to the wild-type (WT) virus, vR128A and vR129A showed slightly reduced growth abilities, while the vRR129AA mutant had a significantly reduced growth ability in infected cells. Consistent with the attenuated growth phenotype in vitro, pigs infected with nsp1β mutants had lower levels of viremia than did WT virus-infected pigs. Compared to the WT virus in infected cells, all three mutated viruses stimulated high levels of IFN-α expression and exhibited a reduced ability to suppress the mRNA expression of selected interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). In pigs infected with nsp1β mutants, IFN-α production was increased in the lungs at early time points postinfection, which was correlated with increased innate NK cell function. Furthermore, the augmented innate response was consistent with the increased production of IFN-γ in pigs infected with mutated viruses. These data demonstrate that residues R128 and R129 are critical for nsp1β function and that modifying these key residues in the GKYLQRRLQ motif attenuates virus growth ability and improves the innate and adaptive immune responses in infected animals., Importance: PRRSV infection induces poor antiviral innate IFN and cytokine responses, which results in weak adaptive immunity. One of the strategies in next-generation vaccine construction is to manipulate viral proteins/genetic elements involved in antagonizing the host immune response. PRRSV nsp1β was identified to be a strong innate immune antagonist. In this study, two basic amino acids, R128 and R129, in a highly conserved GKYLQRRLQ motif were determined to be critical for nsp1β function. Mutations introduced into these two residues attenuated virus growth and improved the innate and adaptive immune responses of infected animals. Technologies developed in this study could be broadly applied to current commercial PRRSV modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines and other candidate vaccines., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an economically devastating enteric disease in the swine industry. The virus infects pigs of all ages, but it cause severe clinical disease in neonatal suckling pigs with up to 100% mortality. Currently, available vaccines are not completely effective and feedback methods utilizing PEDV infected material has variable success in preventing reinfection. Comprehensive information on the levels and duration of effector/memory IgA and IgG antibody secreting B cell response in the intestines and lymphoid organs of PEDV-infected sows, and their association with specific antibody levels in clinical samples such as plasma, oral fluid, and feces is important. Therefore, our goal in this study was to quantify PEDV specific IgA and IgG B cell responses in sows at approximately 1 and 6 months post-infection in commercial swine herds, including parity one and higher sows. Our data indicated that evaluation of both PEDV specific IgA and IgG antibody levels in the plasma and oral fluid (but not feces) samples is beneficial in disease diagnosis. PEDV specific B cell response in the intestine and spleen of infected sows decline by 6 months, and this associates with specific antibody levels in the plasma and oral fluid samples; but the virus neutralization titers in plasma remains high beyond 6 months post-infection. In conclusion, in sows infected with PEDV the presence of effector/memory B cell response and strong virus neutralization titers in plasma up to 6 months post-infection, suggests their potential to protect sows from reinfection and provide maternal immunity to neonates, but challenge studies are required to confirm such responses.

Influenza A virus (IAV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are two major upper respiratory tract pathogens responsible for exacerbated disease in coinfected individuals. Despite several studies showing increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections following IAV infection, information on the direct effect of S. pneumoniae on IAV in vitro is unknown. This is an important area of investigation as S. pneumoniae is a common commensal of the human upper respiratory tract, present as an important coinfecting pathogen with IAV infection. A recent study showed that S. pneumoniae enhances human metapneumovirus infection in polarized bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. The aim of the current study was to determine whether treatment of epithelial cells with S. pneumoniae affects IAV replication using a standard immunofluorescence assay (IFA). For this study we used four IAV permissive epithelial cell lines including two human-derived cell lines, 12 pneumococcal strains including recent human clinical isolates which represent different genetic backgrounds and serotypes, and six IAV strains of varying genetic nature and pathogenic potential including the pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus. Our results suggested that pretreatment of MDCK cells with 7.5×10(6) colony-forming units (CFUs) of live S. pneumoniae resulted in gradual cell-death in a time-dependent manner (0.5 to 4 hr). But, pretreatment of cell lines with 7.5×10(5) and lower CFUs of S. pneumoniae had no detectable effect on either the morphology of cells or on the IAV replication. However, unlike in epithelial cell lines, due to influence of secreted host factors the effect of pneumococci on IAV replication may be different during coinfections in vivo in the human upper respiratory tract, and in vitro with primary human polarized bronchial epithelial cells.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)-specific neutralizing antibodies (NA) are important for clearing the virus. Pen-based pig oral fluid samples for disease surveillance are gaining in importance due to the ease of collection and low cost. The aim of this study was to develop a PRRSV-specific NA assay to determine NA titers in pig oral fluid samples. At first, we standardized the PRRSV NA assay using pen-based pig oral fluid samples collected over a period of 3 months from a herd of swine that received a PRRSV modified live vaccine (PRRS-MLV), and we also used oral fluid and serum samples collected from individual boars that were vaccinated with PRRS-MLV or infected with a virulent PRRSV strain. Our results suggest that a PRRSV NA titer of >8 in oral fluid samples is virus specific and can be detected beginning at 28 days after vaccination or infection. To validate the assay, we used 104 pen-based pig oral fluid and five representative serum samples from each pen of unknown history, as well as 100 serum samples from repeatedly vaccinated sows and oral fluid samples of their respective litters belonging to four different swine-breeding farms. Our results demonstrated that PRRSV NA titers in oral fluid samples are correlated with serum sample titers, and maternally derived PRRSV-specific NA titers could be detected in litters at the time of weaning. In conclusion, we have standardized and validated the pig oral fluid-based PRRSV NA assay, which has 94.3% specificity and 90.5% repeatability. The assay can be used to monitor herd immunity against PRRSV in vaccinated and infected herds of swine.

Biodegradable nanoparticle-based vaccine development research is unexplored in large animals and humans. In this study, we illustrated the efficacy of nanoparticle-entrapped UV-killed virus vaccine against an economically important respiratory viral disease of pigs called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). We entrapped PLGA [poly (lactide-co-glycolides)] nanoparticles with killed PRRSV antigens (Nano-KAg) and detected its phagocytosis by pig alveolar macrophages. Single doses of Nano-KAg vaccine administered intranasally to pigs upregulated innate and PRRSV specific adaptive responses. In a virulent heterologous PRRSV challenge study, Nano-KAg vaccine significantly reduced the lung pathology and viremia, and the viral load in the lungs. Immunologically, enhanced innate and adaptive immune cell population and associated cytokines with decreased secretion of immunosuppressive mediators were observed at both mucosal sites and blood. In summary, we demonstrated the benefits of intranasal delivery of nanoparticle-based viral vaccine in eliciting cross-protective immune response in pigs, a potential large animal model.