title: Enhanced mucosal immunoglobulin A response and solid protection against foot-and-mouth disease virus challenge induced by a novel dendrimeric peptide.
abstract: The successful use of a dendrimeric peptide to protect pigs against challenge with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), which causes the most devastating animal disease worldwide, is described. Animals were immunized intramuscularly with a peptide containing one copy of a FMDV T-cell epitope and branching out into four copies of a B-cell epitope. The four immunized pigs did not develop significant clinical signs upon FMDV challenge, neither systemic nor mucosal FMDV replication, nor was its transmission to contact control pigs observed. The dendrimeric construction specifically induced high titers of FMDV-neutralizing antibodies and activated FMDV-specific T cells. Interestingly, a potent anti-FMDV immunoglobulin A response (local and systemic) was observed, despite the parenteral administration of the peptide. On the other hand, peptide-immunized animals showed no antibodies specific of FMDV infection, which qualifies the peptide as a potential marker vaccine. Overall, the dendrimeric peptide used elicited an immune response comparable to that found for control FMDV-infected pigs that correlated with a solid protection against FMDV challenge. Dendrimeric designs of this type may hold substantial promise for peptide subunit vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cubillos
authors.forename: Beatriz G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakab
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borrás
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bárcena
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andreu
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sobrino
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blanco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D050091:Dendrimers; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029544:Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D050091:Dendrimers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D010455:Peptides; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014765:Viral Vaccines