title: Prime immunization with rotavirus VLP 2/6 followed by boosting with an adenovirus expressing VP6 induces protective immunization against rotavirus in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rotavirus (RV) is the main cause of severe gastroenteritis in children. An effective vaccination regime against RV can substantially reduce morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of virus-like particles formed by RV VP2 and VP6 (VLP2/6), as well as that of recombinant adenovirus expressing RV VP6 (rAd), in eliciting protective immunities against RV. However, the efficacy of such prime-boost strategy, which incorporates VLP and rAd in inducing protective immunities against RV, has not been addressed. We assessed the immune effects of different regimens in mice, including rAd prime-VLP2/6 boost (rAd+VLP), VLP2/6 prime-rAd boost (VLP+rAd), rAd alone, and VLP alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice immunized with the VLP+rAd regimen elicit stronger humoral, mucosal, and cellular immune responses than those immunized with other regimens. RV challenging experiments showed that the highest reduction (92.9%) in viral shedding was achieved in the VLP+rAd group when compared with rAd+VLP (25%), VLP alone (75%), or rAd alone (40%) treatment groups. The reduction in RV shedding in mice correlated with fecal IgG (r = 0.95773, P = 0.04227) and IgA (r = 0.96137, P = 0.038663).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A VLP2/6 prime-rAd boost regimen is effective in conferring immunoprotection against RV challenge in mice. This finding may lay the groundwork for an alternative strategy in novel RV vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Genetic Engineering, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Dong Dan San Tiao, Beijing 100730, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Zhendong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011897:Random Allocation; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C442545:VP2 protein, Rotavirus; C061332:VP6 protein, Rotavirus; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines