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Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to plant-produced African horse sickness virus VP7 quasi-crystals.
Abstract: African horse sickness (AHS) is a devastating viral disease affecting equines and has resulted in many disastrous epizootics. To date, no successful therapeutic treatment exists for AHS, and commercially used live-attenuated vaccines have various undesirable side effects. Previous studies have shown that mice inoculated with insoluble African horse sickness virus (AHSV) VP7 crystals are protected from live challenge with a lethal dose of AHSV. This study investigates the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in guinea-pigs to a safer monovalent vaccine alternative based on AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals produced in plants. Guinea-pigs received prime- and boost-inoculations of between 10 and 50 μg of purified plant-produced AHSV VP7. Western immunoblot analysis of the humoral response showed stimulation of high titres of anti-VP7 antibodies 28 days after the boost-inoculation in sera from three of the five experimental animals. In addition, RNA-seq transcriptome profiling of guinea-pig spleen-derived RNA highlighted thirty significantly (q ≤ 0.05) differentially expressed genes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. Differential expression of genes involved in Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation suggest a cell-mediated immune response to AHSV-5 VP7. Upregulation of several important cytokines and cytokine receptors were noted, including TNFSF14, CX3CR1, IFNLR1 and IL17RA. Upregulation of IL17RA suggests a Th17 response which has been reported as a key component in AHSV immunity. While further investigation is needed to validate these findings, these results suggest that AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals produced in N. benthamiana are immunogenic and induce both humoral and cell-mediated responses.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-01-06 PubMed ID: 33421520DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198284Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research involves investigating the immune response to a monovalent vaccine derived from African horse sickness virus VP7 quasi-crystals in guinea-pigs. It found that the vaccine stimulates significant antibody response and causes changes in genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity.
Background
- The study is targeted at African horse sickness (AHS), a deadly disease affecting equines, with currently no effective therapeutic treatment. It has caused disastrous epidemics.
- Existing vaccinations based on live-attenuated vaccines have several adverse side effects.
- Past studies have demonstrated that mice vaccinated with insoluble AHS virus (AHSV) VP7 crystals showed resistant to lethal doses of AHSV.
Purpose and Method
- The research aims to study the immune responses in guinea-pigs to a safer alternative vaccine made from AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals developed in plants.
- Guinea pigs were administered prime- and boost-inoculations of between 10 and 50 μg of the plant-produced AHSV VP7.
- Western immunoblot analysis was used to assess the subsequent antibody response.
- RNA-seq transcriptome profiling was used to study associated gene expression changes in spleen-derived RNA in guinea pigs.
Findings
- High levels of anti-VP7 antibodies were produced in three of the five guinea-pigs tested 28 days post-boost inoculation.
- RNA profiling identified 30 significantly differentially expressed genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity.
- Alterations in the expression of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation genes were observed, supporting potential cell-mediated immunity response to AHSV-5 VP7.
- Key cytokines and cytokine receptors such as TNFSF14, CX3CR1, IFNLR1 and IL17RA were upregulated.
- The increased level of IL17RA, indicating Th17 response, points to it being an essential element in AHSV immunity.
Conclusion
- The research suggests that plant-produced AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals have immunogenic properties, provoking both humoral and cell-mediated responses.
- Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings.
Cite This Article
APA
Fearon SH, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Meyers AE.
(2021).
Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to plant-produced African horse sickness virus VP7 quasi-crystals.
Virus Res, 294, 198284.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198284 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa; Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa. Electronic address: ann.meyers@uct.ac.za.
MeSH Terms
- African Horse Sickness / prevention & control
- African Horse Sickness Virus / genetics
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral
- Guinea Pigs
- Horses
- Immunity
- Mice
- Receptors, Interferon
- Vaccines, Attenuated
- Viral Vaccines
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Zhang M, Wang XF, Guo SF, Wang L, Fu BF, Wang JW, Song YF, Yang XY, Hao SY, Zhang QY, Zhang B, Yang CH. Identification and Genetic Characterization of a Strain of African Horse Sickness Virus Serotype 1 and Its Safety Evaluation in a Mouse Model. Microorganisms 2025 Oct 6;13(10).
- Mardanova ES, Vasyagin EA, Ravin NV. Virus-like Particles Produced in Plants: A Promising Platform for Recombinant Vaccine Development. Plants (Basel) 2024 Dec 20;13(24).
- Jiménez-Cabello L, Utrilla-Trigo S, Barreiro-Piñeiro N, Pose-Boirazian T, Martínez-Costas J, Marín-López A, Ortego J. Nanoparticle- and Microparticle-Based Vaccines against Orbiviruses of Veterinary Importance. Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Jul 14;10(7).
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