Full protection against African horsesickness (AHS) in horses induced by baculovirus-derived AHS virus serotype 4 VP2, VP5 and VP7.
Abstract: African horsesickness virus serotype 4 (AHSV-4) outer capsid protein VP2, or VP2 and VP5 plus inner capsid protein VP7, derived from single or dual recombinant baculovirus expression vectors were used in different combinations to immunize horses. When the proteins were purified by affinity chromatography, the combination of all three proteins induced low levels of neutralizing antibodies and conferred protection against virulent virus challenge. However, purified VP2 or VP2 and VP5 in the absence of VP7 failed to induce neutralizing antibodies and protection. Immunization with non-purified proteins enhanced the titres of neutralizing antibodies. Again, the combination of the three proteins was able to confer total protection to immunized horses, which showed absence of viraemia. The antigenicity of recombinant VP2 was analysed with a collection of 30 MAbs. Both purified and unpurified recombinant VP2 proteins showed different antigenic patterns in comparison to that of VP2 on virions. An immunization experiment with four more horses confirmed these results. The vaccine described here would not only prevent the disease, but would drastically reduce the propagation of the virus by vectors.
Publication Date: 1996-06-01 PubMed ID: 8683209DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-77-6-1211Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research explored an effective vaccine against African horsesickness using baculovirus-derived proteins. The vaccine induced full protection when it included all three proteins: capsid proteins VP2, VP5, and VP7. The absence of protein VP7, however, led to failure of inducing neutralizing antibodies and protection.
Immune Response Induction
The research was centered around immunizing horses using different combinations of AHSV-4 outer capsid protein VP2, and VP2 and VP5 plus inner capsid protein VP7. These proteins were derived from either single or dual recombinant baculovirus expression vectors.
- Results showed that when three proteins were purified by affinity chromatography, it resulted in low levels of neutralizing antibodies and conferred protection against virulent virus challenge.
- Nevertheless, when VP2 or VP2 and VP5 were used without VP7, they were unable to induce neutralizing antibodies or provide protection.
- It was also found that immunization with non-purified proteins improved the neutralizing antibody titres.
- When all three proteins were combined, complete protection was conferred to immunized horses and no viraemia was noticed.
Antigenicity of Recombinant VP2
The analysis of the antigenicity of the recombinant VP2 protein was done with a collection of 30 MAbs.
- The findings demonstrated that both purified and unpurified recombinant VP2 proteins presented different antigenic patterns compared to VP2 on virions.
- An immunization experiment involving four additional horses confirmed these results.
Conclusion and Potential Impact
The study proposes a potentially valuable vaccine against African horsesickness. The unique combination of proteins not only prevents the disease but also significantly reduces the spread of the virus by vectors. This could drastically impact infection rates and alter the approach of preventing and controlling African horsesickness in susceptible populations.
Cite This Article
APA
Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Díaz-Laviada M, Roy P, Sánchez C, Vela C, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Casal JI.
(1996).
Full protection against African horsesickness (AHS) in horses induced by baculovirus-derived AHS virus serotype 4 VP2, VP5 and VP7.
J Gen Virol, 77 ( Pt 6), 1211-1221.
https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-77-6-1211 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- INGENASA, Madrid, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- African Horse Sickness / immunology
- African Horse Sickness / prevention & control
- African Horse Sickness Virus / immunology
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / biosynthesis
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Antigens, Viral / biosynthesis
- Antigens, Viral / immunology
- Baculoviridae
- Capsid / biosynthesis
- Capsid / immunology
- Chlorocebus aethiops
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Horses
- Neutralization Tests
- Spodoptera
- Vaccines, Synthetic
- Vero Cells
- Viral Vaccines
Citations
This article has been cited 17 times.- Moore S, Jukes M. The History of Baculovirology in Africa. Viruses 2023 Jul 7;15(7).
- Bekker S, Huismans H, van Staden V. Generation of a Soluble African Horse Sickness Virus VP7 Protein Capable of Forming Core-like Particles. Viruses 2022 Jul 26;14(8).
- Fairbanks EL, Brennan ML, Mertens PPC, Tildesley MJ, Daly JM. Re-parameterization of a mathematical model of African horse sickness virus using data from a systematic literature search. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022 Jul;69(4):e671-e681.
- Calvo-Pinilla E, Marín-López A, Utrilla-Trigo S, Jiménez-Cabello L, Ortego J. Reverse genetics approaches: a novel strategy for African horse sickness virus vaccine design. Curr Opin Virol 2020 Oct;44:49-56.
- Rutkowska DA, Mokoena NB, Tsekoa TL, Dibakwane VS, O'Kennedy MM. Plant-produced chimeric virus-like particles - a new generation vaccine against African horse sickness. BMC Vet Res 2019 Dec 3;15(1):432.
- Dennis SJ, Meyers AE, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP. African Horse Sickness: A Review of Current Understanding and Vaccine Development. Viruses 2019 Sep 11;11(9).
- Mathebula EM, Faber FE, Van Wyngaardt W, Van Schalkwyk A, Pretorius A, Fehrsen J. B-cell epitopes of African horse sickness virus serotype 4 recognised by immune horse sera. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2017 Feb 24;84(1):e1-e12.
- Calvo-Pinilla E, de la Poza F, Gubbins S, Mertens PP, Ortego J, Castillo-Olivares J. Antiserum from mice vaccinated with modified vaccinia Ankara virus expressing African horse sickness virus (AHSV) VP2 provides protection when it is administered 48h before, or 48h after challenge. Antiviral Res 2015 Apr;116:27-33.
- Alberca B, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Cabana M, Calvo-Pinilla E, Viaplana E, Frost L, Gubbins S, Urniza A, Mertens P, Castillo-Olivares J. Vaccination of horses with a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) expressing African horse sickness (AHS) virus major capsid protein VP2 provides complete clinical protection against challenge. Vaccine 2014 Jun 17;32(29):3670-4.
- Anderson J, Bréard E, Lövgren Bengtsson K, Grönvik KO, Zientara S, Valarcher JF, Hägglund S. Purification, stability, and immunogenicity analyses of five bluetongue virus proteins for use in development of a subunit vaccine that allows differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2014 Mar;21(3):443-52.
- de la Poza F, Calvo-Pinilla E, López-Gil E, Marín-López A, Mateos F, Castillo-Olivares J, Lorenzo G, Ortego J. Ns1 is a key protein in the vaccine composition to protect Ifnar(-/-) mice against infection with multiple serotypes of African horse sickness virus. PLoS One 2013;8(7):e70197.
- Castillo-Olivares J, Calvo-Pinilla E, Casanova I, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Chiam R, Maan S, Nieto JM, Ortego J, Mertens PP. A modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) vaccine expressing African horse sickness virus (AHSV) VP2 protects against AHSV challenge in an IFNAR -/- mouse model. PLoS One 2011 Jan 26;6(1):e16503.
- Chiam R, Sharp E, Maan S, Rao S, Mertens P, Blacklaws B, Davis-Poynter N, Wood J, Castillo-Olivares J. Induction of antibody responses to African horse sickness virus (AHSV) in ponies after vaccination with recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA). PLoS One 2009 Jun 22;4(6):e5997.
- Kang SW, Kweon CH, Choi EJ, Yoon YD. Expression of major piroplasm protein (p33) of Theileria sergenti (Korean isolate) and its immunogenicity in guinea pigs. Korean J Parasitol 1999 Dec;37(4):277-83.
- Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Díaz-Laviada M, Roy P, Sánchez C, Vela C, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Casal JI. Serologic markers in early stages of African horse sickness virus infection. J Clin Microbiol 1997 Feb;35(2):531-5.
- Ma X, Zhang M, Zhang X, Qi T, Zhang W, Zhao Y, Na L, Zhang Y, Wang XF, Wang X. Construction and Immunogenicity Evaluation of a Recombinant Fowlpox Virus Expressing VP2 Gene of African Horse Sickness Virus Serotype 1. Microorganisms 2025 Dec 9;13(12).
- O'Kennedy MM, Roth R, Ebersohn K, du Plessis LH, Mamputha S, Rutkowska DA, du Preez I, Verschoor JA, Lemmer Y. Immunogenic profile of a plant-produced nonavalent African horse sickness viral protein 2 (VP2) vaccine in IFNAR-/- mice. PLoS One 2024;19(4):e0301340.
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