Streamlined detection of Nipah virus antibodies using a split NanoLuc biosensor
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Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Lo, Michael K..
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Nipah virus (NiV) causes a highly lethal disease in humans who present with acute respiratory or neurological signs. No vaccines against NiV have been approved to date. Here, we report on the clinical impact of a novel NiV-derived nonspreading replicon particle lacking the fusion (F) protein gene (NiVΔF) as a vaccine in three small animal models of disease. A broad antibody response was detected that included immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA subtypes with demonstrable Fc-mediated effector function targeting multiple viral antigens. Single-dose intranasal vaccination up to 3 days before challenge prevented clinical signs and reduced virus levels in hamsters and immunocompromised mice; decreases were seen in tissues and mucosal secretions, critically decreasing potential for virus transmission. This virus replicon particle system provides a vital tool to the field and demonstrates utility as a highly efficacious and safe vaccine candidate that can be administered parenterally or mucosally to protect against lethal Nipah disease.
Defective interfering particles (DIs) contain a considerably smaller genome than the parental virus but retain replication competency. As DIs can directly or indirectly alter propagation kinetics of the parental virus, they offer a novel approach to antiviral therapy, capitalizing on knowledge from natural infection. However, efforts to translate in vitro inhibition to in vivo screening models remain limited. We investigated the efficacy of virus-like particles containing DI genomes (therapeutic infectious particles [TIPs]) in the Syrian hamster model of lethal Nipah virus (NiV) disease. We found that coadministering a high dose of TIPs intraperitoneally with virus challenge improved clinical course and reduced lethality. To mimic natural exposure, we also evaluated lower-dose TIP delivery and virus challenge intranasally, finding equally efficacious reduction in disease severity and overall lethality. Eliminating TIP replicative capacity decreased efficacy, suggesting protection via direct inhibition. These data provide evidence that TIP-mediated treatment can confer protection against disease and lethal outcome in a robust animal NiV model, supporting further development of TIP treatment for NiV and other high-consequence pathogens.