title: Recombinant C fragment of botulinum neurotoxin B serotype (rBoNTB (HC)) immune response and protection in the rhesus monkey.
abstract: Botulinum neurotoxin B (BoNTB) is a distinct protein subtype of a family of neurotoxins with the potential for use in biological warfare or terrorist attacks. This study is one in a series evaluating the immunogenicity and protective effects of recombinant vaccines against the different subtypes of botulinum toxin. The recombinant subunit vaccines encoding the C fragment portion ( approximately 50 kDa) of the toxins are produced in the yeast, Pichia pastoris. In this study, groups of rhesus monkeys were vaccinated with three doses (1 and 5microg per dose) of rBoNTB(H(c)) vaccine. Total and neutralizing antibody titers were determined at various times during and postvaccination. Two groups of vaccinated monkeys plus non-vaccinated controls were actively challenged with B toxin by aerosol exposure. All monkeys receiving vaccine were protected from the toxin and no clinical signs of disease were observed, while controls displaying classic signs of botulism succumbed to the toxin challenge. Two additional groups of monkeys receiving the same vaccine regiment as the first two groups had significant levels of circulating neutralizing antibody titers up to 24 months postvaccination. This non-human primate study demonstrated the short- and long-term immunity afforded by the rBoNTB(H(c)) vaccine.
authors.affiliation: US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. james.boles@us.army.mil
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boles
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tammariello
authors.forename: M Louise M
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pitt
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Ross D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: LeClaire
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D001906:Botulism / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C096323:rimabotulinumtoxinB; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A