title: Poly(I:C) combined with multi-epitope protein vaccine completely protects against virulent foot-and-mouth disease virus challenge in pigs.
abstract: We designed a series of epitope proteins containing the G-H loops of three topotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O and promiscuous artificial Th sites and selected one epitope protein (designated as B4) with optimal immunogenicity and cross-reactivity. Three out of five pigs immunized intramuscularly with this B4 were protected against virulent FMDV challenge after a single inoculation, while all pigs co-immunized with B4 and polyinosinic-cytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] conferred complete protection following FMDV challenge. Additionally, we demonstrated that all pigs co-immunized with B4 and poly(I:C) elicited FMDV-specific neutralizing antibodies, total IgG antibodies, type I interferon (IFN-α/β) and cytokines IFN-γ. In contrast, some pigs immunized with B4 alone produced parameters mentioned above, while some not, suggesting that poly(I:C) reduced animal-to-animal variations in both cellular and humoral responses often observed in association with epitope-based vaccines and up-regulated T-cell immunity often poorly observed in protein-based vaccines. We propose that poly(I:C) is an effective adjuvant for this epitope-based vaccine of FMDV. This combination could yield an effective and safe candidate vaccine for the control and eradication of FMD in pigs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China. caoym518@126.com
authors.forename: Yimei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Zengjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pinghua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xingwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Yuanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Chunxue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Baoxia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Yingli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zaixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029544:Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011070:Poly I-C