SBIR-STTR Award

Synergistic Vaccine Adjuvants That Stimulate Both Innate And Adaptive Immunities
Award last edited on: 7/15/10

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NIH : NIAID
Total Award Amount
$590,207
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
-----

Principal Investigator
Dante Marciani

Company Information

Bio-Synthesis Inc (AKA: OCS Laboratories, Inc.)

612 East Main Street
Lewisville, TX 75057
   (972) 420-8505
   biosyn@biosyn.com
   www.biosyn.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 26
County: Denton

Phase I

Contract Number: 1R43AI089138-01
Start Date: 2/15/10    Completed: 1/31/12
Phase I year
2010
Phase I Amount
$295,370
The objective is to develop a glycoside adjuvant or immune agonist carrying the chemical structures needed to concurrently stimulate in a cooperative manner both innate and adaptive immunities, leading to a synergistic effect on the cellular (Th1) and humoral (Th2) immunities. It is likely that these adjuvants would also stimulate strong mucosal immunity. Studies with HIV-1 model vaccines indicate that a favorable immune protection would entail besides cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), neutralizing antibodies and mucosal immunity. Yet, HIV's vast capacity to mutate may allow its escape from immune control. That HIV up regulates the CD4+ T cells' expression of the inhibitory CTLA-4 receptor, blocking the co-stimulatory ligands B7-1/B7-2 (CD80/CD86) expressed by antigen presenting cells (APCs) and required for T cell activation, means an anergic immune system that would not protect against the virus. Thus, HIV-1 vaccines would demand superior adjuvants to raise the immune response to levels not required before. The synergistic effects of the concerted stimulation of various receptors for innate and acquired immunity, deliver a much higher immune response with antigen and DNA based vaccines. The strategy to develop these adjuvants involves replacing in glycosides with aldehyde- carrying triterpenes their i) natural carbohydrate moieties with oligosaccharides that are ligands of innate immunity receptors, e.g. toll-like receptors (TLRs) and lectins, and ii) hydrophobic acyl group with new lipophilic chains, that may be design to serve as ligands for innate immunity receptors. The aldehyde group by forming imines with the amino groups of certain cell surface receptor(s) provides an alternative co-stimulatory signal needed to elicit Th1/Th2 immunity while the newly added innate immunity ligand, i.e. oligosaccharides and/or lipids, by binding to certain receptors would stimulate innate immunity. The triterpene group plays a role in the delivery of exogenous antigens directly into the cell's cytosol for processing by the endogenous pathway and CTL production, thus avoiding the need for viral vectors and production of interfering antibodies. Result of the concurrent stimulation of the receptors for both adaptive and innate immunities located on the same cell would be a synergistic effect on the immune response; i.e., the response stimulated by this immune agonist would be much higher than the aggregate of the responses elicited by the individual ligands. Phase I Specific Aims are, 1) Synthesize i) an immune agonist, having an aldehyde-carrying triterpene linked covalently to a mannan oligosaccharide and a myristoyl lipophilic chain, and ii) the controls lacking either the oligosaccharide chain or aldehyde; and 2) Study the role of this new adjuvant in i) the activation of DCs and macrophages by studying up-regulation of MHC, co-stimulatory molecules, and increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ii) activating a protective immunity in vivo against a pathogen, by evaluating antigen specific CD4, CD8 responses, antigen specific antibodies, and protection against infection in the mouse model. The immune responses would be compared to that stimulated by well-known innate immunity ligands.

Public Health Relevance:
Results of this research would allow enhancing Th1and Th2 immunities with production of CTLs as well as antibodies with high avidity. As these compounds should stimulate mucosal immunity, they would provide a first line of defense against HIV-1 infection. They should also allow the improvement of vaccines' efficacy in the elderly population, which because of immune senescence, frequently shows some immune deficiencies, that interferes with the stimulation of an effective immunity. These agonists' capacity to deliver a co-stimulatory signal that is independent of the CD80/86 ligands may have applications in HIV-1 therapeutic vaccines where the CTLA-4 inhibitory receptor blocks the activity of the natural ligands leading to anergy.

Thesaurus Terms:
Aids Virus; Apc; Atgn; Atp-Protein Phosphotransferase; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus; Active Immunotherapy; Adjuvant; Aged 65 And Over; Agonist; Alcohols; Aldehydes; Anabolism; Animals; Antibodies; Antibody Formation; Antibody Production; Antibody Response; Antigen-Presenting Cells; Antigens; Asses; Avidity; Binding; Binding (Molecular Function); Cd4 Positive T Lymphocytes; Cd4 T Cells; Cd4 Lymphocyte; Cd4+ T Cell; Cd4+ T-Lymphocyte; Cd4-Positive Lymphocytes; Cd8; Cd8b; Cd8b1; Cd8b1 Gene; Ctl; Carbohydrates; Cell Communication And Signaling; Cell Signaling; Cell Surface Receptors; Cell-Mediated Lympholytic Cells; Cells; Cells, Cd4; Chemical Class, Alcohol; Chemical Structure; Control Animal; Cytolytic T-Cell; Cytosol; Cytotoxic T Cell; Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes; D-Mannose; Dna; Dendritic Cells; Dendritic Cell Activation; Deoxyribonucleic Acid; Differential Gene Expression; Donkey; Elderly; Elderly, Over 65; Equus Asinus; Evaluation; Genome; Glycans; Glycosides; Government; Hiv; Hiv-1; Hiv-1 Vaccine; Hiv-I; Hiv1; Hiv1 Vaccine; Htlv-Iii; Human Immunodeficiency Viruses; Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type Iii; Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii; Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii; Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1; Imines; Immune; Immune Tolerance; Immune Response; Immune System; Immunity; Immunity, Innate; Immunity, Native; Immunity, Natural; Immunity, Non-Specific; Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Human; Immunologic Accessory Cells; Immunologic Tolerance; Individual; Infection; Inflammatory; Intracellular Communication And Signaling; Lav-Htlv-Iii; Lyt3; Lectin; Ligand Binding; Ligands; Link; Lipid Binding; Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus; Macrophage Activation; Malaria; Mannan; Mannans; Mannopyranose; Mannopyranoside; Mannose; Membrane Proteins; Membrane-Associated Proteins; Modeling; Molecular Interaction; Monocytes / Macrophages / Apc; Mucosal Immunity; Mutate; Natural Immunity; Nuclear Translocation; Oligosaccharides; Organism; Paludism; Pathway Interactions; Pattern Recognition Receptor; Persons; Phase; Plasmodium Infections; Play; Polynucleotides; Polysaccharides; Population; Preventive; Process; Production; Protein Kinase; Proteins; Quillaja Saponaria; Quillaja Saponin; Receptor Protein; Research; Resistance; Role; Saponin; Saponins; Signal Transduction; Signal Transduction Systems; Signaling; Soapbark; Soapbush; Steroid Saponins; Sum; Surface Proteins; T-Cell Activation; T-Cells; T-Lymphocyte; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; T4 Cells; T4 Lymphocytes; Tlr Protein; Thymus-Dependent Lymphocytes; Time; Tissue-Specific Differential Gene Expression; Tissue-Specific Gene Expression; Toll-Like Receptors; Triterpenes; Up-Regulation; Up-Regulation (Physiology); Upregulation; Vaccine Adjuvant; Vaccines; Veiled Cells; Vertebrate Animals; Vertebrates; Viral Vector; Virus; Virus-Hiv; Viruses, General; Accessory Cell; Acquired Immunity; Acyl Group; Adaptive Immunity; Advanced Age; Amino Group; Analog; Anergy; Antibody Biosynthesis; Base; Biological Signal Transduction; Biosynthesis; Body System, Allergic/Immunologic; Cytokine; Design; Designing; Elders; Gene Product; Geriatric; Glycogen Synthase A Kinase; Helper T Cell; Host Response; Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Iii; Human T Lymphotropic Virus Iii; Hydroxyalkyl Protein Kinase; Immune System Tolerance; Immune Unresponsiveness; Immunogen; Immunoglobulin Biosynthesis; Immunological Paralysis; Immunoresponse; In Vivo; Late Life; Later Life; Lipid A Mp; Living System; Macrophage; Monophosphoryl Lipid A; Mouse Model; Neutralizing Antibody; Older Adult; Older Person; Organ System, Allergic/Immunologic; Pathogen; Pathway; Phosphorylase B Kinase Kinase; Prototype; Public Health Relevance; Receptor; Resistant; Response; Senescence; Senior Citizen; Social Role; Therapeutic Vaccine; Thymus Derived Lymphocyte; Transcription Factor; Vaccine Efficacy; Vertebrata

Phase II

Contract Number: 5R43AI089138-02
Start Date: 2/15/10    Completed: 1/31/12
Phase II year
2011
Phase II Amount
$294,837
The objective is to develop a glycoside adjuvant or immune agonist carrying the chemical structures needed to concurrently stimulate in a cooperative manner both innate and adaptive immunities, leading to a synergistic effect on the cellular (Th1) and humoral (Th2) immunities. It is likely that these adjuvants would also stimulate strong mucosal immunity. Studies with HIV-1 model vaccines indicate that a favorable immune protection would entail besides cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), neutralizing antibodies and mucosal immunity. Yet, HIV's vast capacity to mutate may allow its escape from immune control. That HIV up regulates the CD4+ T cells' expression of the inhibitory CTLA-4 receptor, blocking the co-stimulatory ligands B7-1/B7-2 (CD80/CD86) expressed by antigen presenting cells (APCs) and required for T cell activation, means an anergic immune system that would not protect against the virus. Thus, HIV-1 vaccines would demand superior adjuvants to raise the immune response to levels not required before. The synergistic effects of the concerted stimulation of various receptors for innate and acquired immunity, deliver a much higher immune response with antigen and DNA based vaccines. The strategy to develop these adjuvants involves replacing in glycosides with aldehyde- carrying triterpenes their i) natural carbohydrate moieties with oligosaccharides that are ligands of innate immunity receptors, e.g. toll-like receptors (TLRs) and lectins, and ii) hydrophobic acyl group with new lipophilic chains, that may be design to serve as ligands for innate immunity receptors. The aldehyde group by forming imines with the amino groups of certain cell surface receptor(s) provides an alternative co-stimulatory signal needed to elicit Th1/Th2 immunity while the newly added innate immunity ligand, i.e. oligosaccharides and/or lipids, by binding to certain receptors would stimulate innate immunity. The triterpene group plays a role in the delivery of exogenous antigens directly into the cell's cytosol for processing by the endogenous pathway and CTL production, thus avoiding the need for viral vectors and production of interfering antibodies. Result of the concurrent stimulation of the receptors for both adaptive and innate immunities located on the same cell would be a synergistic effect on the immune response;i.e., the response stimulated by this immune agonist would be much higher than the aggregate of the responses elicited by the individual ligands. Phase I Specific Aims are, 1) Synthesize i) an immune agonist, having an aldehyde-carrying triterpene linked covalently to a mannan oligosaccharide and a myristoyl lipophilic chain, and ii) the controls lacking either the oligosaccharide chain or aldehyde;and 2) Study the role of this new adjuvant in i) the activation of DCs and macrophages by studying up-regulation of MHC, co-stimulatory molecules, and increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ii) activating a protective immunity in vivo against a pathogen, by evaluating antigen specific CD4, CD8 responses, antigen specific antibodies, and protection against infection in the mouse model. The immune responses would be compared to that stimulated by well-known innate immunity ligands.

Public Health Relevance:
Results of this research would allow enhancing Th1and Th2 immunities with production of CTLs as well as antibodies with high avidity. As these compounds should stimulate mucosal immunity, they would provide a first line of defense against HIV-1 infection. They should also allow the improvement of vaccines' efficacy in the elderly population, which because of immune senescence, frequently shows some immune deficiencies, that interferes with the stimulation of an effective immunity. These agonists' capacity to deliver a co-stimulatory signal that is independent of the CD80/86 ligands may have applications in HIV-1 therapeutic vaccines where the CTLA-4 inhibitory receptor blocks the activity of the natural ligands leading to anergy.

Thesaurus Terms:
Aids Virus;Apc;Atgn;Atp-Protein Phosphotransferase;Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus;Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus;Active Immunotherapy;Adjuvant;Aged 65 And Over;Agonist;Alcohols;Aldehydes;Anabolism;Animals;Antibodies;Antibody Formation;Antibody Production;Antibody Response;Antigen-Presenting Cells;Antigens;Asses;Avidity;B7-1;Bb1;Binding;Binding (Molecular Function);Cd152;Cd152 Antigen;Cd28lg;Cd28lg1;Cd4 Positive T Lymphocytes;Cd4 T Cells;Cd4 Lymphocyte;Cd4+ T Cell;Cd4+ T-Lymphocyte;Cd4-Positive Lymphocytes;Cd8;Cd80;Cd80 Gene;Cd8b;Cd8b1;Cd8b1 Gene;Ctl;Ctla 4;Ctla-4 Antigen;Ctla4;Ctla4 Protein;Ctla4-Tm;Carbohydrates;Cell Communication And Signaling;Cell Signaling;Cell Surface Receptors;Cell-Mediated Lympholytic Cells;Cells;Cells, Cd4;Chemical Class, Alcohol;Chemical Structure;Control Animal;Cytolytic T-Cell;Cytosol;Cytotoxic T Cell;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Protein 4;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Serine Esterase-4;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes;D-Mannose;Dna;Dendritic Cells;Dendritic Cell Activation;Deoxyribonucleic Acid;Differential Gene Expression;Donkey;Elderly;Elderly, Over 65;Equus Asinus;Evaluation;Genome;Glycans;Glycosides;Government;Hiv;Hiv-1;Hiv-I;Hiv1;Htlv-Iii;Human Immunodeficiency Viruses;Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type Iii;Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii;Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii;Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1;Ifn;Imines;Immune;Immune Tolerance;Immune Response;Immune System;Immunity;Immunity, Innate;Immunity, Native;Immunity, Natural;Immunity, Non-Specific;Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Human;Immunologic Accessory Cells;Immunologic Tolerance;Individual;Infection;Inflammatory;Interferons;Intracellular Communication And Signaling;Lab7;Lav-Htlv-Iii;Lyt3;Lectin;Ligand Binding;Ligands;Link;Lipid Binding;Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus;Macrophage Activation;Malaria;Mannan;Mannans;Mannopyranose;Mannopyranoside;Mannose;Membrane Proteins;Membrane-Associated Proteins;Modeling;Molecular Interaction;Monocytes / Macrophages / Apc;Mucosal Immunity;Mutate;Natural Immunity;Nuclear Translocation;Oligosaccharides;Organism;Paludism;Pathway Interactions;Pattern Recognition Receptor;Persons;Phase;Plasmodium Infections;Play;Polynucleotides;Polysaccharides;Population;Preventive;Process;Production;Protein Kinase;Proteins;Qs 21;Qs-21 Adjuvant;Qs21;Quillaja Saponaria;Quillaja Saponin;Receptor Protein;Research;Resistance;Role;Saponin;Saponins;Signal Transduction;Signal Transduction Systems;Signaling;Soapbark;Soapbush;Steroid Saponins;Stimulon Qs-21 Adjuvant;Sum;Surface Proteins;T Lymphocyte;T-Cell Activation;T-Cells;T-Lymphocyte;T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic;T4 Cells;T4 Lymphocytes;Tlr Protein;Thymus-Dependent Lymphocytes;Time;Tissue-Specific Differential Gene Expression;Tissue-Specific Gene Expression;Toll-Like Receptors;Triterpenes;Up-Regulation;Up-Regulation (Physiology);Upregulation;Vaccine Adjuvant;Vaccines;Veiled Cells;Vertebrate Animals;Vertebrates;Viral Vector;Virus;Virus-Hiv;Viruses, General;Accessory Cell;Acquired Immunity;Acyl Group;Adaptive Immunity;Advanced Age;Amino Group;Analog;Anergy;Antibody;Antibody Biosynthesis;Antigen Presenting Cell;Base;Biological Signal Transduction;Biosynthesis;Body System, Allergic/Immunologic;Cell Surface Receptor;Cytokine;Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte;Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4;Design;Designing;Elders;Gene Product;Geriatric;Glycogen Synthase A Kinase;Helper T Cell;Host Response;Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Iii;Human T Lymphotropic Virus Iii;Human Immunodeficiency Virus;Hydroxyalkyl Protein Kinase;Immune System Tolerance;Immune Unresponsiveness;Immunogen;Immunoglobulin Biosynthesis;Immunological Paralysis;Immunoresponse;In Vivo;Late Life;Later Life;Lipid A Mp;Living System;Macrophage;Model;Monophosphoryl Lipid A;Mouse Model;Mucosal Immunity;Neutralizing Antibody;Older Adult;Older Person;Organ System, Allergic/Immunologic;Pathogen;Pathway;Phosphorylase B Kinase Kinase;Prototype;Public Health Relevance;Receptor;Resistant;Response;Senescence;Senior Citizen;Social Role;Therapeutic Vaccine;Thymus Derived Lymphocyte;Toll Like Receptor;Transcription Factor;Vaccine Efficacy;Vertebrata