AAV- expressed G protein induces robust humoral and cellular immune response and provides durable protection from rabies virus challenges in mice

Publication date: Available online 11 January 2020Source: Veterinary MicrobiologyAuthor(s): Chuangang Liu, Jianglong Li, Qili Yao, Zhisong Gao, Yanqing Cheng, Meiling Zhou, Yajie Tang, Leqiang Sun, Jinxia Dai, Gang Cao, Xiao-Lian Zhang, Ran ZhangAbstractRabies is a highly lethal infectious zoonosis caused by rabies virus (RABV), and the mortality rate is almost 100% once clinical symptoms appear, which poses a huge threat to public health security across the many parts of the word. Vaccination is reported to be the most effective approach to prevent the disease. G protein is the only protein present on the surface of RABV, it also could induce humoral immunity to produce virus neutralizing antibodies (VNA) and stimulate T cells to produce cellular immunity. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have been used as vectors for gene therapy of different human diseases for its low immunogenicity, high safety and long-term stable expression. To develop a safe and effective vaccine, recombinant AAVs containing different kind of G gene were constructed. After intramuscular (i.m.) immunization in mice, all of these rAAV-G vaccines could induce the production of high levels of VNA and effective cellular immune response. Consistently, all of the rAAV-G vaccines could provide protection against lethal RABV challenge. Our results shown that the rAAV-G vaccines could be potential candidates used in the control of RABV infection. In addition, rAAV-G as a vaccine has many advantages of low prepara...
Source: Veterinary Microbiology - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research