Patent ID: 12239703

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention disclose the preparation of a composite-type nano-vaccine particle, measurement of diameter and zeta potential of the nano-vaccine particle, demonstration of cellular endocytosis and in vitro cytotoxicity test.

I. Preparation of Composite-Type Nano-Vaccine Particle

Main Materials:

The present invention utilized an amphiphilic polysaccharide with controlled low-molecule weight termed as AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) purchased from Nuecology Biomedical Inc. British Columbia, Canada. The AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) functions as an amphiphilic alginate-based nanocarrier encapsulating vaccine as the active ingredient and adjuvants simultaneously. The AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) showed a self-assembly behavior in aqueous solution to form spherical nanoparticles, excellent structural stability, colloidal stability for a time period of months and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. The AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) can form an AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticle in aqueous medium that can be used as a biomedical material for multifunctional applications, such as a delivery system for an active agent, including but not limited to a drug or a biological agent or material comprising a peptide, a protein, an antibody, a serum product, a vaccine, a plurality of cells or stem cells or a combination of multiple active agents of various physicochemical properties, such as a mixture of water-soluble or lipid-soluble ingredients, or a combination of organic and inorganic active agents.

Vaccine material as active ingredient comprises spike RBD protein. The amino acid sequence of the spike RBD protein is set forth by SEQ ID NO:1, as a model protein. pH-dependent charge of the spike RBD protein presents as the table below:

pHcharge4.0016.74.5011.45.006.85.504.46.003.46.503.07.002.77.502.18.000.68.50−2.19.00−5.69.50−10.610.00−17.9

Because of the common mutation of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the amino acid sequence can be different, possibly only a few or few tens of amino acids. In order to perform a large amount of physical adsorption on the spike protein, so as to achieve the nano-vaccine effect, the present invention utilized change in charging in accordance with pH adjustment of the solution used in the preparation of a composite-type nano-vaccine particle. In the present invention, the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) not merely encapsulates the spike RBD protein, but the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) and the spike RBD protein may conjugate together.

Adjuvants comprise aluminium salt (Al(OH)3) and a synthetic oligonucleotides (CpG-ODN). The aluminium salt has a particle size ranging between 5 nm to 30 nm, and it was used to adsorb physically with the spike RBD protein to form a core-shell nanoparticle, termed as a dual-adjuvant nanoparticle. The synthetic oligonucleotides (CpG-ODN) sequence is set forth by SEQ ID NO:2. The general information of CpG-ODN is as follows: unmethylated CG dinucleotides within particular sequence contexts are responsible for the immunostimulatory activity of bacterial DNA. Synthetic oligonucleotides (ODN) that contain such CpG motifs (CpG-ODNs) mimic microbial DNA. The innate immune system of vertebrates has the ability to recognize CpG motifs in microbial DNA via the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9.

Adsorption Experiment:

Took 0.5 ml Al(OH)3solution (1 mg/ml) and 0.5 ml spike RBD protein solution (50 μg/ml) to form a mixture of 500 μg/ml Al(OH)3+25 μg/ml spike RBD protein solution. Stirred for 30 minutes in 4° C. environment, the mixture solution was treated with 9000 rpm for 5 min centrifugation. After centrifugation, took 160 μl supernatant solution and added 40 μl Bradford kit. Refer toFIG.1. Prepared a spike RBD protein calibration curve from 50 μg/ml, 40 μg/ml. 25 μg/ml, 20 μg/ml, 12.5 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml, 6.25 μg/ml, 5 μg/ml and 2.5 μg/ml. The absorption rate is (1−concentration in the supernatant solution/25)×100.

AGO™ (Amphiphilic Polysaccharide) Encapsulation:

Took 0.5 ml Al(OH)3solution (1 mg/ml) and 0.5 ml spike RBD protein solution (50 μg/ml) to form a mixture of 500 μg/ml Al(OH)3+25 μg/ml spike RBD protein solution. Stirred for 30 minutes in 4° C. environment, the mixture solution was then poured into an AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) aqueous solution with 3 mg of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) powder. Stirred the other AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) aqueous solution with 3 mg of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) powder for 24 hours in double distilled water in 4° C. environment. The Al(OH)3+spike RBD protein+AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) solution and the other AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) solution were treated with 12000 rpm for 10 min centrifugation. After centrifugation, supernatant solution in which certain amount of free-form spike RBD protein remained was needed for further analysis. Refer toFIG.2. Followed the same procedure to prepare a spike RBD protein calibration curve from 50 μg/ml, 40 μg/ml, 25 μg/ml, 20 μg/ml, 12.5 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml, 6.25 μg/ml, 5 μg/ml and 0 μg/ml. Bradford kit was used to measure the spike RBD protein concentration in the supernatant solution. Moreover, in order to effectively remove the noise of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) under detection, pure AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) was used as reference solution, after then, a noise-free precise spike RBD protein measurement was obtained through the calculation of (1−concentration in the supernatant solution/25)×100 to obtain spike RBD protein encapsulation efficiency.

In this AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) encapsulation, it was found that the spike RBD protein encapsulation efficiency was as high as 90%, indicating that even if the spike RBD protein was not adsorbed with Al(OH)3, the free-form spike RBD protein could be encapsulated by AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with high efficiency.

Dual-Adjuvant (Al(OH)3and CpG-ODN) Co-Encapsulation:

Followed the same procedure disclosed in AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) encapsulation, where Encapsulation Efficiency (EE) of Al(OH)3+spike RBD protein+CpG-ODN in 0.3 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) was also determined, and the calibration curves for both spike RBD protein and CpG-ODN were experimentally determined asFIG.3andFIG.4. The calibration curves of both spike RBD protein and CpG-ODN were used to determine the amount of both adjuvants encapsulated into the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide). The EE of both spike RBD protein and CpG-ODN was measured respectively. Refer to the table below.

Al(OH)3:spike RBDEE of spikeEE ofprotein:CpG-ODN (μg/ml)RBD proteinCpG-ODN250:25:2055%62%250:50:2065%60%

The present invention provides a composite-type nano-vaccine particle obtained by implementing the above three preparation procedures. The composite-type nano-vaccine particle comprises an active ingredient, spike RBD protein (SEQ ID NO:1), two adjuvants as aluminium salt (Al(OH)3) nanoparticle adsorbed with the spike RBD protein and synthetic oligonucleotides (CpG-ODN, SEQ ID NO:2), and an amphiphilic alginate-based nanocarrier (AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide)) encapsulating the active ingredient and the two adjuvants.

II. Measurement of Diameter and Zeta Potential of Composite-Type Nano-Vaccine Particle

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) system is an easy and widely-used tool to measure particle size and zeta potential of a given particulate system. The DLS technique is an ideal method for measuring the particle size of suspensions from 1 nm to about 10 micrometers.

Adequate characterization of nanoparticles is of paramount importance to develop well defined nanoformulations of therapeutic relevance. Determination of particle size and surface charge of nanoparticles are indispensable for proper characterization of nanoparticles. DLS and zeta potential measurements have gained popularity as simple, easy and reproducible tools to ascertain particle size and surface charge, and can be adapted as a measure of quality control for the materials prepared.

Refer toFIG.5. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.1 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with 0.00125 wt % spike RBD protein are 446.9±53.3 nm and −29.85±0.66 mV.

Refer toFIG.6. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.1 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with 0.0025 wt % spike RBD protein are 421.9±38.6 nm and −34.58±0.27 mV.

Refer toFIG.7. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.1 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with 0.025 wt % Al(OH)3+0.00125 wt % spike RBD protein are 1168.4±94.2 nm and −29.13±1.67 mV. The ratio of spike RBD protein to Al(OH)3is 1:20.

Refer toFIG.8. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.1 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with 0.025 wt % Al(OH)3+0.0025 wt % spike RBD protein are 1349.4±41.5 nm and −33.87±0.22 mV. The ratio of spike RBD protein to Al(OH)3is 1:10.

Refer toFIG.9. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.3 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with Al(OH)3+spike RBD protein+CpG-ODN (Al(OH)3:spike RBD protein:CpG-ODN 500:25:20 (μg/ml)) are 465.6±312.1 nm and −35.69±0.37 mV.

Refer toFIG.10. Diameter and zeta potential of 0.3 wt % AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) with Al(OH)3+spike RBD protein+CpG-ODN (Al(OH)3:spike RBD protein:CpG-ODN 500:50:20 (μg/ml)) are 423.0±288.8 nm and −33.88±0.63 mV.

The surface charge of the composite-type nano-vaccine particle is proven negatively charged. The composite-type nano-vaccine particle has a particle size ranging from 300 nm to 1400 nm in diameter, which allows high amount of dual-adjuvant-antigen complex co-encapsulated and co-delivered into the targeting cells in host, permitting higher vaccine concentration to work out with desired immunological response, in a lower dosing amount.

III. Experiment of Cellular Endocytosis

Human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco2 cells) and African green monkey kidney epithelial cells (Vero E6 cells) in which both cells present ACE2 cellular receptors on cell membrane were used to conduct cellular endocytosis experiments. The composite-type nano-vaccine particles were designed into two types, AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles with spike RBD protein and AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles without spike RBD protein. Spike RBD protein is originally designed as targeting moiety toward ACE2 cellular receptor on cell membrane. Caco2 cells and Vero E6 cells were treated respectively with the two types of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles and observed for 8 hours. The two types of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles were stained yellow-green dots inFIGS.11A,11B,13A and13B.

Refer toFIGS.11A and11B. The two types of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles were endocytosed largely and efficiently by the Caco2 cells and the difference in the amount endocytosed is hard to quantitatively differentiate between the nanoparticles with or without spike RBD protein conjugation. One finding inFIGS.11A and11Bis that the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles without spike RBD protein appeared to be residing mostly in the region of cytoplasm (stained red), while the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticle with spike RBD protein is largely surrounding the cell nuclei (stained blue). This finding suggests the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles with spike RBD protein allowed to be more potentially triggered a desired biological response such as immunological potency. Refer toFIG.12. However, statistically, there were obvious differences between the two types of AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles in this cellular endocytosis experiment. Refer toFIGS.13A and13B. AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles were endocytosed by the Vero E6 cells and appeared to have more AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles internalized in the cytoplasm regions (stained red) and regions near cell nuclei (stained blue) with spike RBD protein conjugation.

The spike RBD protein conjugated in the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) serves as dual-function moiety to the composite-type nano-vaccine particle. The spike RBD protein and ACE2 cellular receptor binding is not only through the mechanism of electrostatic interaction on account that the spike RBD protein shows positively surface charged and ACE2 shows negatively charged under physiological condition, but a strong donor-receptor binding.

IV. In Vitro Cytotoxicity Test

L929 mouse fibroblast cells (L929 cells) were used to conduct an in vitro cytotoxicity test. L929 cells were treated with the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles with spike RBD protein in different concentration for 24 hours culture.

Refer toFIG.14. The results of survival rate of L929 cells treated with the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles with spike RBD protein in different concentration presented over 80% in consistency. The cell culture in vitro cytotoxicity test indicated the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide) nanoparticles with spike RBD protein showed excellent cyto-compatibility even at a higher concentration against L929 cells.

V. Cell Viability Test

Vero E6 cells were used to conduct cell viability test. Vero E6 cells were cultured with dual-adjuvant (Al(OH)3and CpG-ODN) nano-vaccine particle with a concentration ranging from 0.01 wt % to 0.6 wt % for 24 hours. The dual-adjuvant (Al(OH)3and CpG-ODN) nano-vaccine particle was made from Al(OH)3:spike RBD protein:CpG-ODN 500:50:20 (μg/ml) encapsulated into the AGO™ (amphiphilic polysaccharide).

Refer toFIG.15. Result of the cell viability test of Vero E6 cells showed excellent cyto-compatibility against the dual-adjuvant (Al(OH)3and CpG-ODN) nano-vaccine particle, indicating the present invention is highly biocompatible.

The foregoing embodiments are illustrative of the characteristics of the present invention so as to enable a person skilled in the art to understand the disclosed subject matter and implement the present invention accordingly. The embodiments, however, are not intended to restrict the scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent modifications and variations made in the foregoing embodiments without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention should fall within the scope of the appended claims.