The Use of Next-Generation Sequencing for the Quality Control of Live-Attenuated Polio Vaccines

Abstract

Abstract Background Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis was compared to the current MAPREC (mutational analysis by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme cleavage) assay for quality control of live-attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV). Methods MAPREC measures reversion of the main OPV attenuating mutations such as uracil (U) to cytosine (C) at nucleotide 472 in the 5′ noncoding region of type 3 OPV. Eleven type 3 OPV samples were analyzed by 8 laboratories using their in-house NGS method. Results Intraassay, intralaboratory, and interlaboratory variability of NGS 472-C estimates across samples and laboratories were very low, leading to excellent agreement between laboratories. A high degree of correlation between %472-C results by MAPREC and NGS was observed in all laboratories (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.996). NGS estimates of sequences at nucleotide 2493 with known polymorphism among type 3 OPV lots also produced low assay variability and excellent between-laboratory agreement. Conclusions The high consistency of NGS data demonstrates that NGS analysis can be used as high-resolution test alternative to MAPREC, producing whole-genome profiles to evaluate OPV production consistency, possibly eliminating the need for tests in animals. This would be very beneficial for the quality assessment of next-generation polio vaccines and, eventually, for other live-attenuated viral vaccines.