Title
Immunogenicity and protection efficacy of subunit-based smallpox vaccines using variola major antigens
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology
Publication Date
2008-02-05
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Immunology and Infectious Disease | Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences | Microbiology
Abstract
The viral strain responsible for smallpox infection is variola major (VARV). As a result of the successful eradication of smallpox with the vaccinia virus (VACV), the general population is no longer required to receive a smallpox vaccine, and will have no protection against smallpox. This lack of immunity is a concern due to the potential for use of smallpox as a biological weapon. Considerable progress has been made in the development of subunit-based smallpox vaccines resulting from the identification of VACV protective antigens. It also offers the possibility of using antigens from VARV to formulate the next generation subunit-based smallpox vaccines. Here, we show that codon-optimized DNA vaccines expressing three VARV antigens (A30, B7 and F8) and their recombinant protein counterparts elicited high-titer, cross-reactive, VACV neutralizing antibody responses in mice. Vaccinated mice were protected from intraperitoneal and intranasal challenges with VACV. These results suggest the feasibility of a subunit smallpox vaccine based on VARV antigen sequences to induce immunity against poxvirus infection.
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.virol.2007.09.029
Source
Virology. 2008 Feb 5;371(1):98-107. Epub 2007 Oct 24. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Virology
Related Resources
PubMed ID
17950773
Repository Citation
Sakhatskyy PV, Wang S, Zhang C, Chou T, Kishko MG, Lu S. (2008). Immunogenicity and protection efficacy of subunit-based smallpox vaccines using variola major antigens. GSBS Student Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2007.09.029. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/gsbs_sp/1358