Recombinant Fusion Protein and DNA Vaccines Against Foot and Mouth Disease Virus Infection in Guinea Pig and Swine

Abstract

In this study, we provide evidence that a recombinant fusion protein containing beta-galactosidase and a tandem repeat peptide of immunogenic dominant epitope of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP1 protein elicits high levels of neutralizing antibody and protects both guinea pigs and swine against infection. Vaccination with this fusion protein induced a FMDV-specific proliferative T-cell response and a neutralizing antibody response. The immunized guinea pigs and swine were protected against FMD type O virus infection. Two DNA plasmids expressing genes of foot-and-mouth disease were constructed. Both plasmids pBO1 and pCO1 contain a signal sequence of the swine immunoglobulin G (IgG) gene and fusion protein gene of pXZ84. The signal sequence and fusion protein gene were under the control of a metallothionein promoter in the case of the pBO1 plasmid and under the control of a cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter in the case of pCO1 plasmid. When pBO1 and pCO1 were inoculated intramuscularly into guinea pigs, both plasmids elicited a neutralizing antibody response and spleen cell proliferation increased following stimulation with FMDV antigen, but animals were not protected from viral challenge.

Enhanced immunogenicity to food-and-mouth disease virus in mice vaccination with alphaviral replicon-based DNA vaccine expressing the capsid precursor polypeptide (P1)

“…Studies on DNA vaccines against FMDV based on DNA encoding the major immunogenic protein have been reported. However, the DNAvaccinated animals were either partially protected or not protected from FMDV challenge, suggesting the need for improvement [15][16][17].…”

RNA Interference Targeting VP1 Inhibits Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Replication in BHK-21 Cells and Suckling Mice

“…Current FMD vaccines based on inactivated virus are effective in preventing the disease but present the risks of incomplete inactivation or escape of virus from vaccine production laboratories (18). The development of recombinant peptide vaccine and chemically synthetic vaccine has achieved great success, as reported previously (14,39). Although these vaccines are safe and effective in eliciting antiviral activity, they fail to induce immune response in a short period.…”

DNA Vaccines Encoding Viral Glycoproteins Induce Nonspecific Immunity and Mx Protein Synthesis in Fish

“…They offer the advantage of mimicking a viral infection, resulting in host production of a single viral protein that is correctly folded and modified, and eliciting both cellular and humoral immune responses (9,48). DNA vaccines have been developed for a wide variety of viruses, including influenza virus (14,46), human immunodeficiency virus (7,15,42), rabies virus (38), hepatitis B virus (10), rubella virus (41), and foot-and-mouth disease virus (19). Genetic vaccines have also been developed for several other pathogens, including Mycoplasma pulmonis (29), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (34), Plasmodium yoelii (17), and Schistosoma japonicum (49).…”