title: Antibodies generated by immunization with the NS1 protein of West Nile virus confer partial protection against lethal Japanese encephalitis virus challenge.
abstract: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are two medically important flaviviruses that can cause severe hemorrhagic and encephalitic diseases in humans. Immune responses directed against the NS1 protein of flaviviruses can confer protection against lethal viral challenge. Previous studies have shown that the WNV NS1 protein harbors epitopes that elicit antibodies that cross react with JEV. Here we demonstrate that the WNV NS1 protein not only contains cross-reactive epitopes, but that the antibodies elicited by these cross-reactive epitopes provide partial protection against lethal JEV challenge in a mouse model. Mice immunized with WNV NS1 protein showed reduced morbidity and mortality following both intracerebral and intraperitoneal JEV challenge. WNV NS1 immunization attenuated the extent of lung pathology generated following JEV challenge, and delayed the appearance of other pathological findings including vascular cuffing. By screening and identifying the specific WNV NS1 protein-derived peptides recognized by serum antibodies elicited by immunization with WNV NS1 protein and by JEV challenge, we found after JEV challenge will induce several new epitopes, but which epitope primarily contribute to antibody-mediated cross protection need further evaluation. The knowledge and reagents generated in this study have potential applications in vaccine and subunit vaccine development for WNV and JEV.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150001, PR China. sunlhw@gmail.com
authors.forename: EnCheng
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.lastname: TaoYang
authors.forename: QingYuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: YongLi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: WenShi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: DongLai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C531936:nonstructural protein 1, West Nile virus
keywords: Japanese encephalitis virus; NS1 protein; Partial protection; West Nile virus