An attenuated EIAV vaccine strain induces significantly different immune responses from its pathogenic parental strain although with similar in vivo replication pattern.
Abstract: The EIAV (equine infectious anemia virus) multi-species attenuated vaccine EIAV(DLV121) successfully prevented the spread of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in China in the 1970s and provided an excellent model for the study of protective immunity to lentiviruses. In this study, we compared immune responses induced by EIAV(DLV121) to immunity elicited by the virulent EIAV(LN40) strain and correlated immune responses to protection from infection. Horses were randomly grouped and inoculated with either EIAV(DLV121) (Vaccinees, Vac) or a sublethal dose of EIAV(LN40) (asymptomatic carriers, Car). Car horses became EIAV(LN40) carriers without disease symptoms. Two of the four Vac horses were protected against infection and the other two had delayed onset or reduced severity of EIA with a lethal EIAV(LN40) challenge 5.5 months post initial inoculation. In contrast, all three Car animals developed acute EIA and two succumbed to death. Specific humoral and cellular immune responses in both Vac and Car groups were evaluated for potential correlations with protection. These analyses revealed that although plasma viral loads remained between 10(3) and 10(5)copies/ml for both groups before EIAV(LN40) challenge, Vac-treated animals developed significantly higher levels of conformational dependent, Env-specific antibody, neutralizing antibody as well as significantly elevated CD4(+) T cell proliferation and IFN-γ-secreting CD8(+) T cells than those observed in EIAV(LN40) asymptomatic carriers. Further analysis of protected and unprotected cases in vaccinated horses identified that cellular response parameters and the reciprocal anti-p26-specific antibody titers closely correlated with protection against infection with the pathogenic EIAV(LN40). These data provide a better understanding of protective immunity to lentiviruses.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2011-08-25 PubMed ID: 21893100DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2011.08.016Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article examines the immune responses induced by an attenuated strain of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), used as a vaccine, and its comparative effectiveness against a virulent strain of the same virus. The study also explores the correlation between induced immune responses and protection against infection.
Research Design & Methodology
- The researchers used the multi-species EIAV vaccine (EIAV(DLV121)) that had been effective in controlling equine infectious anemia (EIA) in China in the 1970s.
- A comparative analysis was undertaken to examine the immune response elicited by the vaccine, versus the virulent strain, EIAV(LN40).
- Horses were divided into groups and inoculated with either the vaccine (labelled ‘Vac’) or a sublethal dose of EIAV(LN40) (labelled ‘Car’ for ‘asymptomatic carriers’).
- The researchers monitored the horses for disease symptoms, plasma viral loads, and specific humoral and cellular immune responses, before and after being exposed to a lethal challenge of EIAV(LN40).
Findings of the Study
- The study found that two out of four vaccinated horses were protected against infection, while the other two demonstrated either a delayed onset or reduced severity of EIA. On the contrary, all the carriers (who were given the virulent strain) developed an acute form of EIA, and two succumbed to the disease.
- A significant observation was that while plasma viral loads were comparable between the two groups, vaccinated animals showed significantly higher levels of certain types of antibodies, immune cell proliferation, and immune cell functionality than those observed in carriers.
- This suggests that the vaccine induces a more robust immune response compared to the asymptomatic carrier state induced by the virulent strain.
Correlation with Protection
- An analysis of protected and unprotected cases in vaccinated horses revealed that cellular response parameters and the strength of certain antibody responses closely correlated with protection against the pathogenic EIAV(LN40).
- In other words, higher cellular response characteristics and antibody levels seemed to confer greater protection against infection.
Conclusion and Implication
- The study enhances understanding of protective immunity against lentiviruses like EIAV.
- The results could prove valuable in informing better vaccine design and targeted immune response induction for preventing lentiviral infections.
Cite This Article
APA
Lin YZ, Shen RX, Zhu ZY, Deng XL, Cao XZ, Wang XF, Ma J, Jiang CG, Zhao LP, Lv XL, Shao YM, Zhou JH.
(2011).
An attenuated EIAV vaccine strain induces significantly different immune responses from its pathogenic parental strain although with similar in vivo replication pattern.
Antiviral Res, 92(2), 292-304.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2011.08.016 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Division of Livestock Diseases, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150001, China.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
- Cell Proliferation
- China
- Equine Infectious Anemia / immunology
- Equine Infectious Anemia / pathology
- Equine Infectious Anemia / prevention & control
- Female
- Horses
- Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / growth & development
- Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / immunology
- Interferon-gamma / metabolism
- Male
- Viral Load
- Viral Proteins / immunology
- Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage
- Viral Vaccines / immunology
- Viremia
Citations
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