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Virology1996; 220(1); 219-222; doi: 10.1006/viro.1996.0304

Immunization with VP2 is sufficient for protection against lethal challenge with African horsesickness virus Type 4.

Abstract: Horses were immunized by inoculation with a vaccinia construct containing a full-length cDNA corresponding to the L2 gene segment of African horsesickness virus type 4(AHSV-4). All immunized horses developed serum neutralizing antibodies prior to challenge with virulent AHSV-4. No ELISA-reactive antibodies were present prior to challenge. A group of four seronegative control horses died after developing clinical signs and lesions typical of the pulmonary form of African horsesickness while the immunized horses were clinically normal. Increases in serum neutralizing and ELISA-reactive antibody titers following challenge indicate that at least some replication of challenge virus occurred in immunized horses. These results demonstrate that AHSV VP2 alone is sufficient to induce a protective immune response in horses and indicate the usefulness of ELISA-reactive antibodies for differentiation of vaccinated and naturally exposed horses.
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Publication Date: 1996-06-01 PubMed ID: 8659117DOI: 10.1006/viro.1996.0304Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 article presents findings that inoculation with VP2, obtained from African horsesickness virus type 4 (AHSV-4), can successfully immunize horses against a lethal challenge of the same virus.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of immunization with VP2, a protein derived from the African Horsesickness Virus Type 4, in providing protection to horses against a lethal challenge with the same virus.

Methodology

  • The researchers immunized horses by inoculating them with a vaccine construct containing a full-length cDNA that matched the L2 gene segment in the AHSV-4.
  • Prior to exposing the horses to the virulent AHSV-4, all the immunized horses developed serum neutralizing antibodies. These antibodies were detected using a neutralization test, a standard assay for assessing the presence of antibodies that neutralize viruses.
  • Prior to the exposure to the virus, none of the horses developed antibodies that were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a test that detects and measures antibodies in blood.

Results

  • A control group of four seronegative horses, i.e., horses that had not developed any antibodies, became sick and died with classical signs and lesions typical of the pulmonary form of African horsesickness.
  • Contrarily, the immunized horses remained clinically unaffected, demonstrating the protective immunity provided by the VP2 antigen.
  • After the exposure to the virus, the researchers detected an increase in both serum neutralizing and ELISA-reactive antibodies, indicating that some replication of the challenge virus occurred in the immunized horses. This shows that although the vaccinated horses were protected from disease, they were not completely resistant to infection.

Conclusions

  • This research provides evidence that the VP2 protein alone is sufficient to induce a protective immune response in horses against AHSV-4.
  • The researchers also indicate that ELISA-reactive antibodies can be a useful tool in differentiating between horses that have been vaccinated, and those that have been naturally exposed to the virus.

Cite This Article

APA
Stone-Marschat MA, Moss SR, Burrage TG, Barber ML, Roy P, Laegreid WW. (1996). Immunization with VP2 is sufficient for protection against lethal challenge with African horsesickness virus Type 4. Virology, 220(1), 219-222. https://doi.org/10.1006/viro.1996.0304

Publication

Virology
ISSN: 0042-6822
NlmUniqueID: 0110674
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 220
Issue: 1
Pages: 219-222

Researcher Affiliations

Stone-Marschat, M A
  • Molecular Pathology Unit, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, USDA, Greenport, New York 11944-0848, USA.
Moss, S R
    Burrage, T G
      Barber, M L
        Roy, P
          Laegreid, W W

            MeSH Terms

            • African Horse Sickness / immunology
            • African Horse Sickness / prevention & control
            • African Horse Sickness Virus / immunology
            • Animals
            • Antibodies, Viral / blood
            • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
            • Capsid / genetics
            • Capsid / immunology
            • Capsid Proteins
            • Chlorocebus aethiops
            • Horses
            • Immunization
            • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
            • Vero Cells
            • Viral Vaccines / immunology

            Citations

            This article has been cited 12 times.
            1. 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.
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            2. 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.
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            3. Kanai Y, van Rijn PA, Maris-Veldhuis M, Kaname Y, Athmaram TN, Roy P. Immunogenicity of recombinant VP2 proteins of all nine serotypes of African horse sickness virus. Vaccine 2014 Sep 3;32(39):4932-7.
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            5. 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.
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            7. Manole V, Laurinmäki P, Van Wyngaardt W, Potgieter CA, Wright IM, Venter GJ, van Dijk AA, Sewell BT, Butcher SJ. Structural insight into African horsesickness virus infection. J Virol 2012 Aug;86(15):7858-66.
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            8. 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.
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            9. 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.
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            10. 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).
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            11. Tinarwo M, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Rybicki EP, Mbewana S. Development of an African horse sickness VP6 DIVA diagnostic ELISA. Virol J 2025 Aug 12;22(1):276.
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            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.
              doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301340pubmed: 38625924google scholar: lookup
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