title: Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a Vero cell culture-derived whole-virus H7N9 vaccine in mice and guinea pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A novel avian H7N9 virus with a high case fatality rate in humans emerged in China in 2013. We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a candidate Vero cell culture-derived whole-virus H7N9 vaccine in small animal models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antibody responses induced in immunized DBA/2J mice and guinea pigs were evaluated by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), microneutralization (MN), and neuraminidase inhibition (NAi) assays. T-helper cell responses and IgG subclass responses in mice were analyzed by ELISPOT and ELISA, respectively. Vaccine efficacy against lethal challenge with wild-type H7N9 virus was evaluated in immunized mice. H7N9-specific antibody responses induced in mice and guinea pigs were compared to those induced by a licensed whole-virus pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm09) vaccine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The whole-virus H7N9 vaccine induced dose-dependent H7N9-specific HI, MN and NAi antibodies in mice and guinea pigs. Evaluation of T-helper cell responses and IgG subclasses indicated the induction of a balanced Th1/Th2 response. Immunized mice were protected against lethal H7N9 challenge in a dose-dependent manner. H7N9 and H1N1pdm09 vaccines were similarly immunogenic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The induction of H7N9-specific antibody and T cell responses and protection against lethal challenge suggest that the Vero cell culture-derived whole-virus vaccine would provide an effective intervention against the H7N9 virus.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wodal
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Schwendinger
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Savidis-Dacho
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hohenadl
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brühl
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Portsmouth
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karner-Pichl
authors.affiliation: Process Development R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Dalida
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Balta
authors.affiliation: Process Development R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grillberger
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: Otfried
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kistner
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: P Noel
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Vaccine R&D, Baxter BioScience, Orth/Donau, Austria.
authors.forename: M Keith
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D064766:Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D009439:Neuraminidase