MINCLE and TLR9 agonists synergize to induce Th1/Th17 vaccine memory and mucosal recall in mice and non-human primates
Joshua S. Woodworth, Vanessa Contreras, Dennis Christensen, Thibaut Naninck, Nidhal Kahlaoui, Anne-Sophie Gallouët, Sébastien Langlois, Emma Burban, Candie Joly, Wesley Gros, Nathalie Dereuddre‐Bosquet, Julie Morin, Ming Liu Olsen, Ida Rosenkrands, Ann-Kathrin Stein, Grith Krøyer Wood, Frank Follmann, Thomas Lindenstrøm, Tu Hu, Roger Le Grand, Gabriel Kristian Pedersen, Rasmus Mortensen
Abstract
Development of new vaccines tailored for difficult-to-target diseases is hampered by a lack of diverse adjuvants for human use, and none of the currently available adjuvants induce Th17 cells. Here, we develop a liposomal adjuvant, CAF®10b, that incorporates Mincle and Toll-like receptor 9 agonists. In parallel mouse and non-human primate studies comparing to CAF® adjuvants already in clinical trials, we report species-specific effects of adjuvant composition on the quality and magnitude of the responses. When combined with antigen, CAF®10b induces Th1 and Th17 responses and protection against a pulmonary infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice. In non-human primates, CAF®10b induces higher Th1 responses and robust Th17 responses detectable after six months, and systemic and pulmonary Th1 and Th17 recall responses, in a sterile model of local recall. Overall, CAF®10b drives robust memory antibody, Th1 and Th17 vaccine-responses via a non-mucosal immunization route across both rodent and primate species. There is a requirement for improved adjuvants to improve responses to vaccines, including adjuvants that induce Th17 cells. Here, the authors use a MINCLE and TLR9 agonist-based vaccine adjuvant and show induction of Th17 and mucosal immune responses to vaccine recall antigens in mice and non-human primate models of vaccination.