abstract

• The development of vaccines is a crucial response against the COVID-19 pandemic and innovative nanovaccines could increase the potential to address this remarkable challenge. In the present study a B cell epitope (S461-493) from the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 was selected and its immunogenicity validated in sheep. This synthetic peptide was coupled to gold nanoparticles (AuNP) functionalized with SH-PEG-NH2 via glutaraldehyde-mediated coupling to obtain the AuNP-S461-493 candidate, which showed in s.c.-immunized mice a superior immunogenicity (IgG responses) when compared to soluble S461-493; and led to increased expression of relevant cytokines in splenocyte cultures. Interestingly, the response triggered by AuNP-S461-493 was similar in magnitude to that induced using a conventional strong adjuvant (Freund%27s adjuvant). This study provides a platform for the development of AuNP-based nanovaccines targeting specific SARS-CoV-2 epitopes. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.
• The development of vaccines is a crucial response against the COVID-19 pandemic and innovative nanovaccines could increase the potential to address this remarkable challenge. In the present study a B cell epitope (S461-493) from the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 was selected and its immunogenicity validated in sheep. This synthetic peptide was coupled to gold nanoparticles (AuNP) functionalized with SH-PEG-NH2 via glutaraldehyde-mediated coupling to obtain the AuNP-S461-493 candidate, which showed in s.c.-immunized mice a superior immunogenicity (IgG responses) when compared to soluble S461-493; and led to increased expression of relevant cytokines in splenocyte cultures. Interestingly, the response triggered by AuNP-S461-493 was similar in magnitude to that induced using a conventional strong adjuvant (Freund's adjuvant). This study provides a platform for the development of AuNP-based nanovaccines targeting specific SARS-CoV-2 epitopes. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.

authors

• Arevalo-Villalobos J.I.
• Comas García Mauricio
• García Soto Mariano de Jesús
• González Ortega Omar
• Palestino Escobedo Alma Gabriela
• Rosales Mendoza Sergio

publication date

• 2021-01-01

funding provided via

• FIIS-FS04-19; UASLP-PTC-625; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACYT: 311879, A1-S-31287  Grant

published in

• Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine  Journal

keywords

• Adjuvant; Antigen carrier; COVID-19; Humoral response; Nanovaccine Epitopes; Mammals; Metal nanoparticles; Peptides; Synthesis (chemical); Cytokines; Functionalized; Glutaraldehydes; Immunogenicity; Nanoparticle conjugate; Spike protein; Splenocyte; Synthetic peptide; Gold nanoparticles; beta actin; complementary DNA; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; epitope; gamma interferon; glutaraldehyde; gold nanoparticle; immunoglobulin G1; immunoglobulin G1 antibody; immunoglobulin G2a antibody; interleukin 2; interleukin 4; s 461 493 peptide; SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; transcriptome; unclassified drug; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; epitope; gold; metal nanoparticle; peptide; spike protein, SARS-CoV-2; animal cell; animal experiment; Article; B lymphocyte; cell viability; conjugation; coronavirus disease 2019; cytotoxicity; drug delivery system; drug megadose; drug synthesis; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; HEK293T cell line; high performance liquid chromatography; human; human cell; humoral immunity; in vitro study; low drug dose; male; mouse; nonhuman; PEGylation; real time polymerase chain reaction; receptor binding; spleen cell; transcriptomics; transmission electron microscopy; vaccination; vaccine immunogenicity; animal; Bagg albino mouse; chemistry; HEK293 cell line; immunology; pharmacology; sheep; synthesis; Animals; COVID-19 Vaccines; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; Gold; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Immunogenicity, Vaccine; Metal Nanoparticles; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Peptides; Sheep; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.nano.2021.102372

PubMed ID

• 33662593

start page

end page

volume

• 34

issue