title: Vaccination of calves using the BRSV nucleocapsid protein in a DNA prime-protein boost strategy stimulates cell-mediated immunity and protects the lungs against BRSV replication and pathology.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory disease in both cattle and young children. Despite the development of vaccines against bovine (B)RSV, incomplete protection and exacerbation of subsequent RSV disease have occurred. In order to circumvent these problems, calves were vaccinated with the nucleocapsid protein, known to be a major target of CD8(+) T cells in cattle. This was performed according to a DNA prime-protein boost strategy. The results showed that DNA vaccination primed a specific T-cell-mediated response, as indicated by both a lymphoproliferative response and IFN-gamma production. These responses were enhanced after protein boost. After challenge, mock-vaccinated calves displayed gross pneumonic lesions and viral replication in the lungs. In contrast, calves vaccinated by successive administrations of plasmid DNA and protein exhibited protection against the development of pneumonic lesions and the viral replication in the BAL fluids and the lungs. The protection correlated to the cell-mediated immunity and not to the antibody response.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Brussels, Belgium. calet@var.fgov.be
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Letellier
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boxus
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosar
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walravens
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roels
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Letesson
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerkhofs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D010957:Plasmids; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D018112:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D007371:Interferon-gamma