Chun Jungmin, Yoon Doyoung, Nowakowska Aleksandra, Lee Hyeon Dong, Lee Chanyeong, Kim Jinha, Kim Sehyun, Bang Heewon, Lee Hee-Jung, Kim Young Bong
Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Bio-industrial Technologies, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; KR BioTech, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Vaccine. 2024 Dec 2;42(26):126355. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126355. Epub 2024 Sep 10.
Although the coronavirus pandemic has ended, new variants of concern (VOCs) continue to emerge. Therefore, novel vaccines targeting VOCs are highly warranted. We initially constructed three recombinant baculovirus-vectored vaccines (AcHERV-COVID19S) carrying the spike genes of the SARS-CoV-2 prototype, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 variants. However, the SARS-CoV-2 spike gene alone could not provide protection against multiple VOCs. To develop a universal vaccine, we constructed a recombinant baculovirus-vectored vaccine (AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM) by introducing the M gene, which is conserved among VOCs, as a secondary cellular immune antigen in addition to the S gene. AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM could provide higher protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants (prototype, Delta, BA.5 and XBB.1) compared with that of AcHERV-COVID19S. The membrane protein of SARS-CoV-2 synergizes with the S gene, thereby enhancing both humoral and cellular immunity against VOCs. Although AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM may not provide sterile protection against new variants, it may help reduce symptoms and curb viral transmission.
尽管新冠疫情已经结束，但新的关注变异株（VOCs）仍在不断出现。因此，研发针对VOCs的新型疫苗非常有必要。我们最初构建了三种携带严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）原型株、德尔塔株和奥密克戎BA.1变异株刺突基因的重组杆状病毒载体疫苗（AcHERV-COVID19S）。然而，仅SARS-CoV-2刺突基因无法提供针对多种VOCs的保护。为了研发一种通用疫苗，我们通过引入在VOCs中保守的M基因作为除S基因外的二级细胞免疫抗原，构建了一种重组杆状病毒载体疫苗（AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM）。与AcHERV-COVID19S相比，AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM能为抵御SARS-CoV-2变异株（原型株、德尔塔株、BA.5和XBB.1）提供更高的保护。SARS-CoV-2的膜蛋白与S基因协同作用，从而增强针对VOCs的体液免疫和细胞免疫。尽管AcHERV-COVID19 OmiM可能无法对新变异株提供无菌保护，但它可能有助于减轻症状并遏制病毒传播。
