Immunogenicity of an adenoviral-based Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus vaccine in BALB/c mice.

Abstract

A new type of coronavirus has been identified as the causative agent underlying Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has spread in the Middle East, but cases originating in the Middle East have also occurred in the European Union and the USA. Eight hundred and thirty-seven cases of MERS-CoV infection have been confirmed to date, including 291 deaths. MERS-CoV has infected dromedary camel populations in the Middle East at high rates, representing an immediate source of human infection. The MERS-CoV spike (S) protein, a characteristic structural component of the viral envelope, is considered as a key target of vaccines against coronavirus infection. In an initial attempt to develop a MERS-CoV vaccine to ultimately target dromedary camels, we constructed two recombinant adenoviral vectors encoding the full-length MERS-CoV S protein (Ad5.MERS-S) and the S1 extracellular domain of S protein (Ad5.MERS-S1). BALB/c mice were immunized with both candidate vaccines intramuscularly and boosted three weeks later intranasally. All the vaccinated animals had antibody responses against spike protein, which neutralized MERS-CoV in vitro. These results show that an adenoviral-based vaccine can induce MERS-CoV-specific immune responses in mice and hold promise for the development of a preventive vaccine that targets the animal reservoir, which might be an effective measure to eliminate transmission of MERS-CoV to humans.

• Authors: Eun Kim, Kaori Okada, Tom Kenniston, V Stalin Raj, Mohd M AlHajri, Elmoubasher A B A Farag, Farhoud AlHajri, Albert D M E Osterhaus, Bart L Haagmans, Andrea Gambotto
• Journal: Vaccine (Vaccine) Vol. 32 Issue 45 Pg. 5975-82 (Oct 14 2014) ISSN: 1873-2518 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25192975 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Neutralizing
• Antibodies, Viral
• Immunoglobulin G
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
• Viral Vaccines

Topics

• Adenoviridae
• Animals
• Antibodies, Neutralizing (blood)
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Antibody Formation
• Camelus
• Coronavirus Infections (prevention & control)
• HEK293 Cells
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
• Neutralization Tests
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus (immunology)
• Viral Vaccines (immunology)