Although many studies provide strong evidence supporting the development of HCV virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccines, the fact that heterologous viral vectors and/or multiple dosing regimes are required to induce protective immunity indicates that it is necessary to improve their immunogenicity. In this study, we have evaluated the use of an anionic self-adjuvanting lipopeptide containing the TLR2 agonist Pam2Cys (E8Pam2Cys) to enhance the immunogenicity of VLPs containing the HCV structural proteins (core, E1 and E2) of genotype 1a. While co-formulation of this lipopeptide with VLPs only resulted in marginal improvements in dendritic cell (DC) uptake, its ability to concomitantly induce DC maturation at very small doses is a feature not observed using VLPs alone or in the presence of an aluminium hydroxide-based adjuvant (Alum). Dramatically improved VLP and E2-specific antibody responses were observed in VLP+E8Pam2Cys vaccinated mice where up to 3 doses of non-adjuvanted or traditionally alum-adjuvanted VLPs was required to match the antibody titres obtained with a single dose of VLPs formulated with this lipopeptide. This result also correlated with significantly higher numbers of specific antibody secreting cells that was detected in the spleens of VLP+E8Pam2Cys vaccinated mice and greater ability of sera from these mice to neutralise the binding and uptake of VLPs by Huh7 cells. Moreover, vaccination of HLA-A2 transgenic mice with this formulation also induced better VLP-specific IFN-γ-mediated responses compared to non-adjuvanted VLPs but comparable levels to that achieved when coadministered with complete freund’s adjuvant. These results suggest overall that the immunogenicity of HCV VLPs can be significantly improved by the addition of this novel adjuvant by targeting their delivery to DCs and could therefore constitute a viable vaccine strategy for the treatment of HCV.

Although the severity of influenza virus infections has been associated with host energy metabolism, the related mechanisms have not yet been clarified. Here we examined the effects of influenza virus infection on host energy metabolism in mice. After infecting mice with intranasal applications of 500 plaque-forming units of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1; PR8) virus, the serum levels of most intermediates in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and related metabolic pathways were significantly reduced. These data suggest that substrate supply to the TCA cycle is reduced under these conditions, rather than specific metabolic reactions being inhibited. Then, we focused on glucose and fatty acid metabolism that supply substrates to the TCA cycle. Akt phosphorylation following insulin injections was attenuated in the livers of PR8 virus-infected mice. Furthermore, glucose tolerance tests revealed that the PR8 virus-infected mice showed higher blood glucose levels than the vehicle-inoculated control mice. These results suggest that influenza virus infection impairs insulin signaling, which regulates glucose uptake. However, increases in the hepatic expressions of fatty acid-metabolizing enzymes suggest that fatty acids accumulate in liver cells of infected mice. Collectively, our data indicate that influenza virus infection dysregulates host energy metabolism. This line of investigation provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of influenza. Influenza virus infection causes respiratory diseases and remains a major health concern, causing approximately half a million deaths per year globally 1. Several types of antiviral drugs are commercially available for influenza treatment. However, influenza viruses change their protein structure constantly, thereby reducing their susceptibility to antiviral drugs, and prolonged treatment of patients receiving antivirals increases the chance of drug resistance of influenza viruses. In addition, the therapeutic effects of antiviral drugs are the highest when applied during the early stages of infection to prevent virus replication efficiently. Therefore, antiviral drug treatment is not suitable for patients with severe advanced stages of influenza. As long as we use antiviral drugs, these complications are always unavoidable. There is a need for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting host factors that are directly related to pathogenicity and symptoms. Compared with influenza viruses themselves, host responses to virus infections are poorly understood. Although host immune responses, particularly excess cytokine secretion, are considered to be involved in influenza pathogenesis, the downstream responses of cytokine signaling have not yet been specified. In addition to inflammation, energy metabolism disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, and deficiencies of fatty acid oxidation, have been known to be related to influenza severity in mouse models and in humans 2-6. Given the indispensable roles of inflammatory signaling in the development of a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced in...

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We have previously shown that the immunogenicity of protein antigens can be significantly enhanced if electrostatically associated with the Toll-like receptor-2 agonist-based lipopeptide R4Pam2Cys. The precise mechanisms and effectiveness of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated response facilitated by this agonist, however, have not been studied. Here we show that priming by dendritic cells (DCs) in the draining lymph nodes of animals vaccinated with antigen delivered using R4Pam2Cys results in significantly improved T-cell proliferation and induces their differentiation into polyfunctional effector CTLs characterised by granzyme B expression and the ability to secrete interferon-γ, interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α 7 days after vaccination. After 30 days, frequencies of antigen-specific CD62(low)CD127(high) (effector memory), CD62(high)CD127(high) (central memory) and CD43(low)CD27(high) CD8(+) T cells, a phenotype associated with strong recall responses against respiratory infections, are also increased compared with responses obtained with antigens formulated in the adjuvants Alum (alhydrogel) and CFA (complete Freund's adjuvant). The phenotypic changes observed in these mice vaccinated using R4Pam2Cys further correlated with their ability to recall specific T cells into the lung to mediate the reduction of pulmonary viral titres following challenge with a chimeric influenza virus containing the K(b)OVA257-264 epitope compared with animals vaccinated using Alum or CFA. The findings from this study not only demonstrate that better T-cell responses can be elicited using R4Pam2Cys compared with classically utilised adjuvants but also highlight the potential effectiveness of this lipopeptide-based adjuvant particularly against viral infections that require resolution through cell-mediated immunity.