Highly immunogenic DNA/LION nanocarrier vaccine potently activates lymph nodes inducing long-lasting immunity in macaques

Summary: A SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA vaccine formulated with a cationic nanoparticle emulsion (LION) was tested in Rhesus macaques. It induced robust, long-lasting (>2 years) cellular and humoral immunity, including increased neutralization breadth. T cell responses were predominantly CD8+, in contras...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sevasti Karaliota, Maha Moussa, Margherita Rosati, Santhi Devasundaram, Soumya Sengupta, Katherine C. Goldfarbmuren, Robert Burns, Jenifer Bear, Dimitris Stellas, Elizabeth A. Urban, Claire Deleage, Amit P. Khandhar, Jesse Erasmus, Peter Berglund, Steven G. Reed, George N. Pavlakis, Barbara K. Felber
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:iScience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225004936
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Summary: A SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA vaccine formulated with a cationic nanoparticle emulsion (LION) was tested in Rhesus macaques. It induced robust, long-lasting (>2 years) cellular and humoral immunity, including increased neutralization breadth. T cell responses were predominantly CD8+, in contrast to other DNA vaccines. A rapid transient cytokine/chemokine response was associated with expansion and trafficking of myeloid cells and lymphocytes. Increased proliferation and dynamic changes between blood and lymph node (LN) were found for monocyte-derived cells, dendritic cells, and B and T cells, resulting in activation of LN and expansion of germinal centers (GCs), likely critical in shaping long-lasting adaptive immunity. Significant GC expansion of B, CD4−, and CD8− cells, including the Tfc3 subset, reflects a balanced immune response, including antibody (Ab) development. DNA/LION vaccination activates myeloid and lymphoid cells in blood and LN and promotes effective antigen presentation, resulting in sustained antigen-specific cellular and humoral responses, emerging as an effective DNA vaccine delivery platform.
ISSN:2589-0042