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Journal of Virology, June 1999, p. 4813-4822, Vol. 73, No. 6
Division of Molecular Virology,
Received 27 August 1998/Accepted 24 February 1999
The recognition that rotaviruses are the major cause of
life-threatening diarrheal disease and significant morbidity in young children has focused efforts on disease prevention and control of these
viruses. Although the correlates of protection in children remain
unclear, some studies indicate that serotype-specific antibody is
important. Based on this premise, current live attenuated reassortant rotavirus vaccines include the four predominant serotypes of virus. We
are evaluating subunit rotavirus vaccines, 2/6/7-VLPs and 2/4/6/7-VLPs, that contain only a single VP7 of serotype G1 or G3. In mice immunized parenterally twice, G3 virus-like particles (VLPs) induced a homotypic, whereas G1 VLPs induced a homotypic and heterotypic (G3) serum neutralizing immune response. Administration of three doses of G1 or G3
VLPs induced serum antibodies that neutralized five of seven different
serotype test viruses. The inclusion of VP4 in the VLPs was not
essential for the induction of heterotypic neutralizing antibody in
mice. To confirm these results in another species, rabbits were
immunized parenterally with two doses of 2/4/6/7-VLPs containing a G3
or G1 VP7, sequentially with G3 VLPs followed by G1 (G3/G1) VLPs, or
with live or psoralen-inactivated SA11. High-titer homotypic serum
neutralizing antibody was induced in all rabbits, and low-level
heterotypic neutralizing antibody was induced in a subset of rabbits.
The rabbits immunized with the G1 or G3/G1 VLPs in QS-21 were
challenged orally with live G3 ALA rotavirus. Protection levels were
similar in rabbits immunized with homotypic G3 2/4/6/7-VLPs,
heterotypic G1 2/4/6/7-VLPs, or G3/G1 2/4/6/7-VLPs. Therefore, G1
2/4/6/7-VLPs can induce protective immunity against a live heterotypic
rotavirus challenge in an adjuvant with potential use in humans.
Following challenge, broad serum heterotypic neutralizing antibody
responses were detected in rabbits parenterally immunized with G1,
G3/G1, or G3 VLPs but not with SA11. Immunization with VLPs may provide
sufficient priming of the immune system to induce protective anamnestic
heterotypic neutralizing antibody responses upon subsequent rotavirus
infection. Therefore, a limited number of serotypes of VLPs may be
sufficient to provide a broadly protective subunit vaccine.
0022-538X/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Heterotypic Protection and Induction of a Broad
Heterotypic Neutralization Response by Rotavirus-Like
Particles
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Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of
Molecular Virology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza,
Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (713) 798-3590. Fax: (713) 798-3586. E-mail: mconner{at}bcm.tmc.edu.
Journal of Virology, June 1999, p. 4813-4822, Vol. 73, No. 6
0022-538X/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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