Immunization with Toscana virus N-Gc proteins protects mice against virus challenge

Envelope glycoprotein; Nucleocapsid protein; Toscana virus; Vaccine; CD8+ T lymphocyte; Phlebovirus; T lymphocyte; Animals; Antibodies, Viral; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cells, Cultured; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; Female; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Schedule; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Interferon Type II; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Neutralization Tests; Nucleocapsid Proteins; Phlebotomus Fever; Sandfly fever Naples virus; Spleen; Vaccines, Synthetic; Viral Envelope Proteins; Viral Vaccines; Animalia; Mus

Abstract :

[en] Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emerging virus, circulating in the Mediterranean area, that is responsible for aseptic meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis. The development of a vaccine that could provide complete protection from TOSV infection is needed. In this study we investigated the capacity of TOSV structural proteins, nucleocapsid protein N and the two Gc and Gn glycoproteins, produced as recombinant proteins, in an animal model. In particular, we investigated their role in inducing specific and protective immune responses against virus infection. Mice were immunized intraperitoneally using TOSV antigens singly or in combination. The results show that only the N-Gc combination was able to protect 100% of animals from a lethal challenge with a neurovirulent strain of TOSV. This potential vaccine induces high serum antibody titres with neutralizing activity and it is safe for animals. Moreover, immunization induces a virus specific cell-mediated immune response, in particular a CD8+ T cell response associated with a marked expression of interferon gamma. These results indicate that the N + Gc viral antigen combination could be useful for future development of a vaccine controlling the spread of this emerging virus that could pose a new threat for humans. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disciplines :

Microbiology

Author, co-author :

Gori Savellini, G.; Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, University of Siena, V.le Bracci, 1, Siena, Italy

Di Genova, G.; Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, University of Siena, V.le Bracci, 1, Siena, Italy

Terrosi, C.; Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, University of Siena, V.le Bracci, 1, Siena, Italy

Di Bonito, P.; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, V.le Regina Elena, Roma, Italy

Giorgi, C.; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, V.le Regina Elena, Roma, Italy

Valentini, M.; Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, University of Siena, V.le Bracci, 1, Siena, Italy

Docquier, Jean-Denis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Centre d'ingénierie des protéines

Cusi, M. G.; Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, University of Siena, V.le Bracci, 1, Siena, Italy

Language :

English

Title :

Immunization with Toscana virus N-Gc proteins protects mice against virus challenge

Publication date :

2008

Journal title :

Virology

ISSN :

0042-6822

eISSN :

1096-0341

Publisher :

Elsevier, Atlanta, United States - California

Volume :

375

Issue :

Pages :

521-528

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 23 November 2020

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