Mucosal immunization of sheep with a Maedi-Visna virus (MVV) env DNA vaccine protects against early MVV productive infection.
Gene gun mucosal DNA immunization of sheep with a plasmid expressing the env gene of Maedi-Visna virus (MVV) was used to examine the protection against MVV infection in sheep from a naturally infected flock. For immunization, sheep were primed with a pcDNA plasmid (pcDNA-env) encoding the Env glycoproteins of MVV and boosted with combined pcDNA-env and pCR3.1-IFN-gamma plasmid inoculations. The pcDNA plasmid used in the control group contained the lacZ coding sequences instead of the env gene. Within a month post-challenge, the viral load in the vaccinated group was lower (p < or = 0.05) and virus was only detected transiently compared with the control group. Furthermore, 2 months later, neutralizing antibodies (NtAb) were detected in all the control animals and none of the vaccinated animals (p < or = 0.01). These results demonstrated a significant early protective effect of this immunization strategy against MVV infection that restricts the virus replication following challenge in the absence of NtAb production. This vaccine protective effect against MVV infection disappeared after two years post-challenge, when active replication of MVV challenge strain was observed. Protection conferred by the vaccine could not be explained by OLA DRB1 allele or genotype differences. Most of the individuals were DRB1 heterozygous and none was totally resistant to infection.
González
Belén
B
SIA (DGA), Zaragoza, Spain.
Reina
Ramsés
R
García
Iker
I
Andrés
Sara
S
Glaria
Idoia
I
Alzueta
María
M
Mora
María Isabel
MI
Jugo
Begoña M
BM
Arrieta-Aguirre
Inés
I
de la Lastra
José M Pérez
JM
Rodríguez
Dolores
D
Rodríguez
Juan Ramón
JR
Esteban
Mariano
M
Grilló
María Jesús
MJ
Blacklaws
Barbara A
BA
Harkiss
Gordon D
GD
Chebloune
Yahia
Y
Luján
Lluís
L
de Andrés
Damián
D
Amorena
Beatriz
B
D000818:Animals; D019470:Biolistics; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007114:Immunization; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D011021:Pneumonia, Progressive Interstitial, of Sheep / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012756:Sheep; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D016182:Visna / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014790:Visna-maedi virus / Q000276:immunology*
D015686:Gene Products, env; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D007371:Interferon-gamma