title: Universal vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus A and B subtypes.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in infants, young children, and the elderly. Two subtypes of RSV, A and B, circulate alternately at 1-2-year intervals during epidemics. The attachment glycoprotein (G protein) of RSV is one of the major targets for immune responses. In this study, we generated a recombinant fusion protein, GcfAB, which consists of the central regions (a.a. residues 131-230) of the G proteins of both RSV A (A2 strain) and B (B1 strain) subtypes, and investigated immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and immunopathology. We immunized mice with GcfAB plus cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant via intranasal (IN) or sublingual (SL) routes. The IN group showed higher levels of RSV G-specific antibody responses, including serum IgG and mucosal IgA, compared with the SL group. On the contrary, more vigorous RSV G-specific CD4+ T-cell responses were elicited in the SL group than in the IN group after RSV-A but not RSV-B viral challenge. Furthermore, the SL group showed more pulmonary eosinophil recruitment and body weight loss than did the IN group after RSV-A challenge. Both IN and SL immunization with GcfAB provided potential protection against both subtypes of infections. Together, these results suggest that vaccination with GcfAB via an IN route could be a universal vaccine regimen preventing both RSV A and B infections.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8423-5987
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines