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Funding was provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and from NIH 1R01AI166066.

Analysis of institutional authors

Juarez, Maria GAuthor

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December 16, 2024
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Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of an RSV G S177Q central conserved domain nanoparticle vaccine

Publicated to:Frontiers In Immunology. 14 1215323- - 2023-06-29 14(), DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1215323

Authors: Bergeron, Harrison C; Murray, Jackelyn; Juarez, Maria G; Nangle, Samuel J; DuBois, Rebecca M; Tripp, Ralph A

Affiliations

Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Biomol Engn, Santa Cruz, CA USA - Author
Univ Georgia, Coll Vet Med, Dept Infect Dis, Athens, GA 30602 USA - Author

Abstract

IntroductionRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause lower respiratory tract disease in infants and elderly populations. Despite decades of research, there remains no safe and approved RSV vaccine. Previously, we showed that an RSV G glycoprotein subunit vaccine candidate with a single point mutation within the central conserved domain (CCD), i.e. S177Q, considerably improved immunogenicity. MethodsHere, we examine the development of nanoparticle (NP) vaccines having either an RSV G protein CCD with wild-type sequence (NPWT) or an S177Q mutation (NP-S177Q). The NP vaccine immunogens were adjuvanted with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), a TLR4 agonist to improve Th1- type responses. BALB/c mice were primed with 10 & mu;g of NP-WT vaccine, NPS177Q, or vehicle, rested, and then boosted with a high (25 & mu;g) or low (10 & mu;g) dose of the NP-WT or NP-S177Q homologous candidate and subsequently challenged with RSV A2. ResultsThe results showed that mice boosted with NP-S177Q developed superior immunogenicity and neutralizing antibodies compared to NP-WT boosting. IgG from either NP-S177Q or NP-WT vaccinated mice did not interfere with fractalkine (CX3CL1) binding to CX3CR1 and effectively blocked G protein CX3C-CX3CR1 binding. Both NP-WT and NP-S177Q vaccination induced similar neutralizing antibodies to RSV in challenged mice compared to vehicle control. NP-S177Q boosting improved correlates of protection including reduced BAL cell infiltration following RSV challenge. However, the NP vaccine platform will require improvement due to the poor solubility and the unexpectedly weaker Th1-type IgG2a response. DiscussionThe results from this study support further NP-S177Q vaccine candidate development.

Keywords

ChildreCx3c motifDiseaseG proteinG-glycoproteinImmunityMonoclonal-antibodyNanoparticle vaccineNeutralizing abProtein cx3c-cx3cr1 bindingResponsesRsvStructure-guided vaccineSyncytial virus-infectionViral load

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Frontiers In Immunology due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2023, it was in position 37/181, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Immunology.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 3.5, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-16, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 5

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-16:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 4.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 9 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 2.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 3 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: United States of America.