Protection of cats against feline leukemia virus by vaccination with a canarypox virus recombinant, ALVAC-FL.
Two ALVAC (canarypox virus)-based recombinant viruses expressing the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) subgroup A env and gag genes were assessed for their protective efficacy in cats. Both recombinant viruses contained the entire gag gene. ALVAC-FL also expressed the entire envelope glycoprotein, while ALVAC-FL(dl IS) expressed an env-specific gene product deleted of the putative immunosuppressive region. Although only 50% of the cats vaccinated with ALVAC-FL(dl IS) were protected against persistent viremia after oronasal exposure to a homologous FeLV isolate, all cats administered ALVAC-FL resisted the challenge exposure. Significantly, protection was afforded in the absence of detectable FeLV-neutralizing antibodies. These results represent the first effective vaccination of cats against FeLV with a poxvirus-based recombinant vector and have implications that are relevant not only to FeLV vaccine development but also to developing vaccines against other retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus.
Virogenetics Corporation, Troy, New York 12180.
J
J
Tartaglia
O
O
Jarrett
J C
JC
Neil
P
P
Desmettre
E
E
Paoletti
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002171:Canaries / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D015751:Genes, pol; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D016582:Leukemia, Feline / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*; D014709:Vero Cells
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic