Induction of ebolavirus cross-species immunity using retrovirus-like particles bearing the Ebola virus glycoprotein lacking the mucin-like domain

• Main Authors: Ou Wu, Delisle Josie, Jacques Jerome, Shih Joanna, Price Graeme, Kuhn Jens H, Wang Vivian, Verthelyi Daniela, Kaplan Gerardo, Wilson Carolyn A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012-01-01
• Series: Virology Journal
• Subjects: Ebola; Ebolavirus; Envelope glycoprotein; Filovirus; Mucin-like domain; Retrovirus; Virus-like particles; DNA vaccine
• Online Access: http://www.virologyj.com/content/9/1/32

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genus <it>Ebolavirus </it>includes five distinct viruses. Four of these viruses cause hemorrhagic fever in humans. Currently there are no licensed vaccines for any of them; however, several vaccines are under development. Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein (GP_1,2) is highly immunogenic, but antibodies frequently arise against its least conserved mucin-like domain (MLD). We hypothesized that immunization with MLD-deleted GP_1,2(GPΔMLD) would induce cross-species immunity by making more conserved regions accessible to the immune system.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To test this hypothesis, mice were immunized with retrovirus-like particles (retroVLPs) bearing Ebola virus GPΔMLD, DNA plasmids (plasmo-retroVLP) that can produce such retroVLPs <it>in vivo</it>, or plasmo-retroVLP followed by retroVLPs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cross-species neutralizing antibody and GP_1,2-specific cellular immune responses were successfully induced.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggest that GPΔMLD presented through retroVLPs may provide a strategy for development of a vaccine against multiple ebolaviruses. Similar vaccination strategies may be adopted for other viruses whose envelope proteins contain highly variable regions that may mask more conserved domains from the immune system.</p>