eEF2K is a kinase that controls the rate of peptide chain elongation by phosphorylating eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 (eEF2), the protein that mediates the movement of the ribosome along the mRNA by promoting translocation from the A to the P site. eEF2K-mediated phosphorylation of eEF2 on Thr56 decreases its affinity for the ribosome, thereby inhibiting elongation. Here we show that in response to genotoxic stress, eEF2K is activated by AMPK-mediated phosphorylation on Ser398. Activated eEF2K phosphorylates eEF2 and induces a temporary ribosomal slowdown at the stage of elongation. Subsequently, during checkpoint silencing, eEF2K is degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system via the SCFβTrCP ubiquitin ligase to allow rapid resumption of translation elongation. This event requires eEF2K autophosphorylation on a canonical βTrCP-binding domain. The inability to degrade eEF2K during checkpoint silencing caused sustained phosphorylation of eEF2 on Thr56 and delayed resumption of translation elongation. Our study establishes an important link between DNA damage signaling and translation elongation.
While RSV is a major cause of respiratory morbidity in infants, vaccine development is hindered by the immaturity and Th2-bias of the infant immune system and the legacy of enhanced respiratory disease (ERD) after RSV infection following immunization with formalin inactivated (FI)-RSV vaccine in earlier clinical trials. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that an adenoviral vector-based RSV F vaccine candidate (Ad26.RSV.FA2) induces Th1-biased protective immune responses, without signs of ERD upon subsequent RSV challenge. We here developed an Ad26 vector encoding the RSV F protein stabilized in its prefusion conformation (Ad26.RSV. preF). In adult mice, Ad26.RSV.preF induced superior, Th1-biased IgG2a-dominated humoral responses as compared to Ad26.RSV. FA2, while maintaining the strong Th1-biased cellular responses. Similar to adult mice, Ad26.RSV.preF induced robust and durable humoral immunity in neonatal mice, again characterized by IgG2a-dominated RSV F-binding antibodies, and high and stable virusneutralizing titers. In addition, vaccine-elicited cellular immune responses were durable and characterized by IFN-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with a profound Th1 bias. In contrast, immunization of neonatal mice with FI-RSV resulted in IgG1 RSV F-binding antibodies associated with a Th2 phenotype, no detectable virus-neutralizing antibodies, and a Th2-biased cellular response. These results are supportive for the clinical development of Ad26.RSV.preF for use in infants.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory disease for which no licensed vaccine is available. We have previously shown that a prefusion (preF) conformation-stabilized RSV F protein antigen and an adenoviral vector encoding RSV preF protein (Ad26.RSV.preF) are immunogenic and protective in animals when administered as single components. Here, we evaluated a combination of the 2 components. Strong induction of both humoral and cellular responses was shown in RSV-naive and pre-exposed mice and pre-exposed African green monkeys (AGMs). Both components of the combination vaccine contributed to humoral immune responses, while the Ad26.RSV.preF component was the main contributor to cellular immune responses in both mice and AGMs. Immunization with the combination elicited superior protection against RSV A2 challenge in cotton rats. These results demonstrate the advantage of a combination vaccine and support further clinical development.
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