Immunogenicity and protection efficacy of subunit-based smallpox vaccines using variola major antigens.

Abstract

The viral strain responsible for smallpox infection is variola major (VARV). As a result of the successful eradication of smallpox with the vaccinia virus (VACV), the general population is no longer required to receive a smallpox vaccine, and will have no protection against smallpox. This lack of immunity is a concern due to the potential for use of smallpox as a biological weapon. Considerable progress has been made in the development of subunit-based smallpox vaccines resulting from the identification of VACV protective antigens. It also offers the possibility of using antigens from VARV to formulate the next generation subunit-based smallpox vaccines. Here, we show that codon-optimized DNA vaccines expressing three VARV antigens (A30, B7 and F8) and their recombinant protein counterparts elicited high-titer, cross-reactive, VACV neutralizing antibody responses in mice. Vaccinated mice were protected from intraperitoneal and intranasal challenges with VACV. These results suggest the feasibility of a subunit smallpox vaccine based on VARV antigen sequences to induce immunity against poxvirus infection.

• Authors: Pavlo Sakhatskyy, Shixia Wang, Chuanyou Zhang, Te-Hui Chou, Michael Kishko, Shan Lu
• Journal: Virology (Virology) Vol. 371 Issue 1 Pg. 98-107 (Feb 05 2008) ISSN: 0042-6822 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17950773 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Viral
• Immunoglobulin G
• Smallpox Vaccine
• Vaccines, Attenuated
• Vaccines, DNA
• Vaccines, Subunit
• Viral Vaccines

Topics

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animals
• Antigens, Viral (genetics, immunology)
• Body Weight
• Cell Line
• Chemoprevention (methods)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Escherichia coli (genetics)
• Feasibility Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Immunization Schedule
• Immunoglobulin G (blood, immunology)
• Kidney (cytology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Models, Animal
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Neutralization Tests
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Smallpox (immunology, prevention & control)
• Smallpox Vaccine (administration & dosage, genetics, immunology)
• Vaccines, Attenuated (administration & dosage, genetics, immunology)
• Vaccines, DNA (genetics, immunology)
• Vaccines, Subunit (immunology)
• Vaccinia virus (immunology)
• Variola virus (genetics, immunology, pathogenicity)
• Viral Vaccines