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Home / Equine Research Bank / Plant Biotechnol J / Immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness viru...
Plant biotechnology journal2017; 16(2); 442-450; doi: 10.1111/pbi.12783

Immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus-like particles: implications for a novel vaccine.

Abstract: African horse sickness (AHS) is a debilitating and often fatal viral disease affecting horses in much of Africa, caused by the dsRNA orbivirus African horse sickness virus (AHSV). Vaccination remains the single most effective weapon in combatting AHS, as there is no treatment for the disease apart from good animal husbandry. However, the only commercially available vaccine is a live-attenuated version of the virus (LAV). The threat of outbreaks of the disease outside its endemic region and the fact that the LAV is not licensed for use elsewhere in the world, have spurred attempts to develop an alternative safer, yet cost-effective recombinant vaccine. Here, we report the plant-based production of a virus-like particle (VLP) AHSV serotype five candidate vaccine by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient expression of all four capsid proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana using the cowpea mosaic virus-based HyperTrans (CPMV-HT) and associated pEAQ plant expression vector system. The production process is fast and simple, scalable, economically viable, and most importantly, guinea pig antiserum raised against the vaccine was shown to neutralize live virus in cell-based assays. To our knowledge, this is the first report of AHSV VLPs produced in plants, which has important implications for the containment of, and fight against the spread of, this deadly disease.
© 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2017-08-01 PubMed ID: 28650085PubMed Central: PMC5787833DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12783Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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 report discusses the creation of a novel vaccine for African horse sickness (AHS) using a plant-based production method, which shows effective result in neutralizing the disease virus in initial tests.

Objective of the Study

  • The research aimed to develop a safe, cost-effective alternative to the existing live-attenuated virus vaccine for AHS. The researchers spotted a need for such an alternative due to the risk of disease outbreaks beyond its endemic region, together with the fact that the current vaccine is not licensed for global use.

Approach of the Study

  • The research team opted for a plant-based production of a Virus-Like Particle (VLP) as the AHS candidate vaccine. The virus strain of focus was AHSV serotype five.
  • The team leveraged Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediation for transient expression of all four capsid proteins. This process was carried out in the Nicotiana benthamiana plant using the cowpea mosaic virus-based HyperTrans and associated pEAQ plant expression vector system.
  • This plant-based production process is characterized by its simplicity, scalability, and economic viability.

Findings of the Study

  • The VLP vaccine showcased positive initial results. Guinea pig antiserum, which was raised against the vaccine, demonstrated effectiveness in neutralizing live virus in cell-based assays.
  • This research marks the world’s first report of AHSV VLP plant-produced. This has important implications in the fight against, and containment of, AHS – a life-threatening disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Dennis SJ, Meyers AE, Guthrie AJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP. (2017). Immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus-like particles: implications for a novel vaccine. Plant Biotechnol J, 16(2), 442-450. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12783

Publication

Plant biotechnology journal
ISSN: 1467-7652
NlmUniqueID: 101201889
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 2
Pages: 442-450

Researcher Affiliations

Dennis, Susan J
  • Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Meyers, Ann E
  • Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Guthrie, Alan J
  • Equine Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
Hitzeroth, Inga I
  • Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Rybicki, Edward P
  • Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

MeSH Terms

  • African Horse Sickness Virus / immunology
  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / immunology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology

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Citations

This article has been cited 20 times.
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