A DNA vaccine induces SARS coronavirus neutralization and protective immunity in mice.
Public health measures have successfully identified and contained outbreaks of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV), but concerns remain over the possibility of future recurrences. Finding a vaccine for this virus therefore remains a high priority. Here, we show that a DNA vaccine encoding the spike (S) glycoprotein of the SARS-CoV induces T cell and neutralizing antibody responses, as well as protective immunity, in a mouse model. Alternative forms of S were analysed by DNA immunization. These expression vectors induced robust immune responses mediated by CD4 and CD8 cells, as well as significant antibody titres, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, antibody responses in mice vaccinated with an expression vector encoding a form of S that includes its transmembrane domain elicited neutralizing antibodies. Viral replication was reduced by more than six orders of magnitude in the lungs of mice vaccinated with these S plasmid DNA expression vectors, and protection was mediated by a humoral but not a T-cell-dependent immune mechanism. Gene-based vaccination for the SARS-CoV elicits effective immune responses that generate protective immunity in an animal model.
Yang
Zhi-Yong
ZY
Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Building 40, Room 4502, MSC-3005, 40 Convent Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-3005, USA.
Kong
Wing-Pui
WP
Huang
Yue
Y
Roberts
Anjeanette
A
Murphy
Brian R
BR
Subbarao
Kanta
K
Nabel
Gary J
GJ
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines