title: Chimeric coronavirus-like particles carrying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SCoV) S protein protect mice against challenge with SCoV.
abstract: We tested the efficacy of coronavirus-like particles (VLPs) for protecting mice against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SCoV) infection. Coexpression of SCoV S protein and E, M and N proteins of mouse hepatitis virus in 293T or CHO cells resulted in the efficient production of chimeric VLPs carrying SCoV S protein. Balb/c mice inoculated with a mixture of chimeric VLPs and alum twice at an interval of four weeks were protected from SCoV challenge, as indicated by the absence of infectious virus in the lungs. The same groups of mice had high levels of SCoV-specific neutralizing antibodies, while mice in the negative control groups, which were not immunized with chimeric VLPs, failed to manifest neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that SCoV-specific neutralizing antibodies are important for the suppression of viral replication within the lungs. Despite some differences in the cellular composition of inflammatory infiltrates, we did not observe any overt lung pathology in the chimeric-VLP-treated mice, when compared to the negative control mice. Our results show that chimeric VLP can be an effective vaccine strategy against SCoV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, United States.
authors.forename: Kumari G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Lokugamage
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa-Iwata
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Douglas M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Wyde
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Chien-Te
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Kent Tseng
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makino
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002460:Cell Line; D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014611:Vaccination; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; C501689:E protein, SARS coronavirus; C000706237:M protein, SARS-CoV; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV; C578553:spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus