Smallpox vaccine-induced antibodies are necessary and sufficient for protection against monkeypox virus.
Vaccination with live vaccinia virus affords long-lasting protection against variola virus, the agent of smallpox. Its mode of protection in humans, however, has not been clearly defined. Here we report that vaccinia-specific B-cell responses are essential for protection of macaques from monkeypox virus, a variola virus ortholog. Antibody-mediated depletion of B cells, but not CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, abrogated vaccine-induced protection from a lethal intravenous challenge with monkeypox virus. In addition, passive transfer of human vaccinia-neutralizing antibodies protected nonimmunized macaques from severe disease. Thus, vaccines able to induce long-lasting protective antibody responses may constitute realistic alternatives to the currently available smallpox vaccine (Dryvax).
Edghill-Smith
Yvette
Y
Animal Models & Retroviral Vaccines Section, National Cancer Institute, 41/D804, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Golding
Hana
H
Manischewitz
Jody
J
King
Lisa R
LR
Scott
Dorothy
D
Bray
Mike
M
Nalca
Aysegul
A
Hooper
Jay W
JW
Whitehouse
Chris A
CA
Schmitz
Joern E
JE
Reimann
Keith A
KA
Franchini
Genoveffa
G
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D045908:Mpox, Monkeypox / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008993:Monkeypox virus / Q000276:immunology*; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; C078786:DryVax vaccine; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine