title: Potential of DNA-mediated vaccination for equine herpesvirus 1.
abstract: The potential of DNA-mediated immunisation to protect against equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) disease was assessed in a murine model of EHV-1 respiratory infection. Intramuscular injection with DNA encoding the EHV-1 envelope glycoprotein D (gD) in a mammalian expression vector induced a specific antibody response detectable by two weeks and maintained through 23 weeks post injection. Immune responses were proportional to the dose of DNA and a second injection markedly enhanced the antibody response. EHV-1 gD DNA-injected mice developed neutralising antibodies, and a predominance of IgG2a antibodies after the DNA injection was consistent with the generation of a type 1 helper T-cell (Th1) response. Following intranasal challenge with EHV-1, mice immunised with 50 microg of EHV-1 gD DNA were able to clear virus more rapidly from lung tissue and showed reduced lung pathology in comparison with control mice. The data indicate that DNA-mediated immunisation may be a useful strategy for vaccination against EHV-1.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ruitenberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wellington
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Whalley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000276:immunology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines