title: IRES-Containing VEEV Vaccine Protects Cynomolgus Macaques from IE Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Aerosol Challenge.
abstract: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an arbovirus endemic to the Americas that is responsible for severe, sometimes fatal, disease in humans and horses. We previously described an IRES-based VEE vaccine candidate based up the IE serotype that offers complete protection against a lethal subtype IE VEEV challenge in mice. Here we demonstrate the IRES-based vaccine's ability to protect against febrile disease in cynomolgus macaques. Vaccination was well tolerated and elicited robust neutralizing antibody titers noticed as early as day 14. Moreover, complete protection from disease characterized by absence of viremia and characteristic fever following aerosolized IE VEEV challenge was observed in all vaccinees compared to control animals, which developed clinical disease. Together, these results highlight the safety and efficacy of IRES-based VEEV vaccine to protect against an endemic, pathogenic VEEV IE serotype.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shannan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Veterinary Medicine and Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kasi E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Russell-Lodrigue
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Veterinary Medicine and Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Stephanie Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Eryu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bergren
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Veterinary Medicine and Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vinet-Oliphant
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Veterinary Medicine and Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chad J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine / Q000276:immunology*; D004685:Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D000067556:Internal Ribosome Entry Sites / Q000276:immunology; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D020011:Protective Agents; D011897:Random Allocation; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology; D014709:Vero Cells; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000067556:Internal Ribosome Entry Sites; D020011:Protective Agents; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines