Allergic asthma is characterized by elevated levels of IgE antibodies, type 2 cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), mucus hypersecretion and eosinophilia. Approved therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting IgE or IL-4/IL-13 reduce asthma symptoms but require costly lifelong administrations. Here, we develop conjugate vaccines against mouse IL-4 and IL-13, and demonstrate their prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy in reducing IgE levels, AHR, eosinophilia and mucus production in mouse models of asthma analyzed up to 15 weeks after initial vaccination. More importantly, we also test similar vaccines specific for human IL-4/IL-13 in mice expressing human IL-4/IL-13 and the related receptor, IL-4Rα, to find efficient neutralization of both cytokines and reduced IgE levels for at least 11 weeks post-vaccination. Our results imply that dual IL-4/IL-13 vaccination may represent a cost-effective, long-term therapeutic strategy for the treatment of allergic asthma as demonstrated in mouse models, although additional studies are warranted to assess its safety and feasibility.
Major elements highlight IFNα implication in type 1 diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis. While there is still no cure for this autoimmune disease, we aimed to evaluate the benefit of IFNα kinoid (IFN-K). This conjugated vaccine consisting of IFNα coupled to Keyhole limpet hemocyanin as a carrier protein elicits the production of polyclonal anti-IFNα neutralizing antibodies and has shown beneficial effects in a recent phase IIb trial in lupus (NCT02665364). Three independent experiments in NOD mice were performed to evaluate the activity of anti-IFNα neutralizing antibodies, conveyed either by maternal transfer or by passive or active immunization. Glycemia was monitored by a glucometer, neutralizing antibodies by the virus-induced cytopathic effect assay and H&E pancreas sections were evaluated in blind. In the first study, we compared T1D incidence in offsprings from IFN-K or KLH immunized mothers with sentinels. In the second study, mice were passively immunized with purified total IgG from sera collected in NOD mice immunized with IFN-K or KLH. Finally, active immunization was performed with IFN-K, KLH or PBS in combination with a squalene oil-in-water adjuvant. Mice were immunized at 5, 10 or 15 weeks of age. Anti-IFNα neutralizing antibodies were effectively conveyed from mothers to offspring, and levels decreased over time to completely disappear by month 3. In progeny from IFN-K immunized mice, despite transient and low amount of neutralizing antibodies, insulitis was decreased compared to control groups and T1D onset was delayed. In the second study, long-lasting administrations of total IgG comprising anti-IFNα neutralizing antibodies conferred protection towards T1D development, while total IgG from KLH-immunized mice did not. Finally, diabetes incidence was reduced when IFN K immunization started at week 10 of age. These different elements point out the need to neutralize IFNα during NOD lifetime to prevent T1D, and encourage us to evaluate IFN-K in newly diagnosed T1D patients.
Disclosure
N. Caillot: None. F. Colaone: None. R. Bertrand: None. J. Da Silva: None. S. Hamdi: None. J. Bonnefoy: None. A. Lehuen: Board Member; Spouse/Partner; Inatheris. Consultant; Self; Neovacs. B.F. Boitard: None. G. Grouard-Vogel: None.
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