Construction of experimental bivalent prophylactic vaccine against HBV and HCV
Research
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) still poses a serious problem to medical systems around the world. World Health Organization estimates that 70 million people worldwide are infected with HCV. In around 80% of HCV-infected individuals the infection progresses from acute to chronic infection that in 20% cases leads to HCV-associated liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite discoveries of highly effective antiviral agents, development of an effective and low-cost prophylactic vaccine is necessary to control the global HCV infection. Unfortunately, such a vaccine is still not available. However, development of the vaccine has proved to be challenging mainly because of the HCV’s high genetic diversity. Therefore, the prophylactic vaccine should elicit antibodies against the highly conserved viral regions.
Our research is focused on a bivalent prophylactic vaccine against HBV and HCV based on hepatitis B small surface antigen (sHBsAg) which forms subviral virus like particles (VLPs) used widely in prophylactic control of HBV infection. Currently, we analyze immunogenic properties of conserved epitopes of HCV E2 glycoprotein and nonstructural protein NS3 exposed on sHBsAg particles to trigger both humoral and cellular response against HCV. Our approach may contribute to the development of a cost-effective bivalent prophylactic vaccine against the two main hepatotropic human pathogens.
Research grants
“Universal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants based on conserved spike protein epitopes – vaccine efficacy studies in vitro and in vivo”. National Science Centre, Poland – 2022-2025
„Immunogenic properties of hepatitis C virus NS3 protein epitopes fused to hepatitis B small surface antigen”. National Science Centre, Poland – 2018-2022
“Biochemical, functional and immunological properties of new recombinant envelope glycoproteins and virus-like particles of hepatitis C virus”. National Science Centre, Poland -2012-2016
“New recombinant glycoproteins E1E2 and virus-like particles for vaccines against hepatitis C virus”. National Centre for Research and Development, Poland – 2012-2015
Selected publications
Czarnota A, Offersgaard A, Pihl AF, Prentoe J, Bukh J, Gottwein JM, Bieńkowska-Szewczyk K, Grzyb K. Specific Antibodies Induced by Immunization with Hepatitis B Virus-Like Particles Carrying Hepatitis C Virus Envelope Glycoprotein 2 Epitopes Show Differential Neutralization Efficiency. Vaccines. 2020; 8(2):294. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020294
Grzyb K, Czarnota A, Brzozowska A, Cieślik A, Rąbalski Ł, Tyborowska J, Bieńkowska-Szewczyk K. Immunogenicity and functional characterization of Leishmania-derived hepatitis C virus envelope glycoprotein complex. Scientific Reports 2016, 6: 30627 (doi: 10.1038/srep30627)
Czarnota A, Tyborowska J, Peszyńska-Sularz G, Gromadzka B, Bieńkowska-Szewczyk K, Grzyb K. Immunogenicity of Leishmania-derived hepatitis B small surface antigen particles exposing highly conserved E2 epitope of hepatitis C virus. Microbial Cell Factories 2016, 15: 62 (doi: 10.1186/s12934-016-0460-4)