Chimeric coronavirus-like particles carrying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SCoV) S protein protect mice against challenge with SCoV

Kumari G. Lokugamage, Naoko Yoshikawa-Iwata, Naoto Ito, Douglas M. Watts, Philip R. Wyde, Nan Wang, Patrick Newman, Chien Te Kent Tseng, C. J. Peters, Shinji Makino

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

We tested the efficacy of coronavirus-like particles (VLPs) for protecting mice against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SCoV) infection. Coexpression of SCoV S protein and E, M and N proteins of mouse hepatitis virus in 293T or CHO cells resulted in the efficient production of chimeric VLPs carrying SCoV S protein. Balb/c mice inoculated with a mixture of chimeric VLPs and alum twice at an interval of four weeks were protected from SCoV challenge, as indicated by the absence of infectious virus in the lungs. The same groups of mice had high levels of SCoV-specific neutralizing antibodies, while mice in the negative control groups, which were not immunized with chimeric VLPs, failed to manifest neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that SCoV-specific neutralizing antibodies are important for the suppression of viral replication within the lungs. Despite some differences in the cellular composition of inflammatory infiltrates, we did not observe any overt lung pathology in the chimeric-VLP-treated mice, when compared to the negative control mice. Our results show that chimeric VLP can be an effective vaccine strategy against SCoV infection.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)797-808
Number of pages12
JournalVaccine
Volume26
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 6 2008

Keywords

  • Mouse
  • Neutralizing antibody
  • SARS coronavirus
  • Virus-like particles

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Veterinary
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Infectious Diseases

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