title: Cross-protection conferred by filovirus virus-like particles containing trimeric hybrid glycoprotein.
abstract: Filoviruses are causative agents of hemorrhagic fever, and to date no effective vaccine or therapeutic has been approved to combat infection. Filovirus glycoprotein (GP) is the critical immunogenic component of filovirus vaccines, eliciting high levels of antibody after successful vaccination. Previous work has shown that protection against both Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) can be achieved by vaccinating with a mixture of virus-like particles (VLPs) expressing either EBOV GP or MARV GP. In this study, the potential for eliciting effective immune responses against EBOV, Sudan virus, and MARV with a single GP construct was tested. Trimeric hybrid GPs were produced that expressed the sequence of Marburg GP2 in conjunction with a hybrid GP1 composed EBOV and Sudan virus GP sequences. VLPs expressing these constructs, along with EBOV VP40, provided comparable protection against MARV challenge, resulting in 75 or 100% protection. Protection from EBOV challenge differed depending upon the hybrid used, however, with one conferring 75% protection and one conferring no protection. By comparing the overall antibody titers and the neutralizing antibody titers specific for each virus, it is shown that higher antibody responses were elicited by the C terminal region of GP1 than by the N terminal region, and this correlated with protection. These data collectively suggest that GP2 and the C terminal region of GP1 are highly immunogenic, and they advance progress toward the development of a pan-filovirus vaccine.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) , Frederick, Maryland.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Carra
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kwilas
authors.forename: Camenzind G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Shurtleff
authors.forename: Rowena D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schokman
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kuehl
authors.forename: Jay B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Jesse T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: Sean A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: van Tongeren
authors.forename: Jay W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bavari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D056738:Cross Protection; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control; D008379:Marburg Virus Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D029024:Marburgvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D022701:Virosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C081324:GP-protein, Marburg virus; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D022701:Virosomes; C113189:envelope glycoprotein, Ebola virus