DNA vaccination can protect Cyprinus Carpio against spring viraemia of carp virus

• Published in: Vaccine 2006-06, Vol.24 (23), p.4927-4933
• Main Authors: Kanellos, Theofanis, Sylvester, Ian D., D’Mello, Felicity, Howard, Colin R., Mackie, Andrew, Dixon, Peter F., Chang, Kin-Chow, Ramstad, Anne, Midtlyng, Paul J., Russell, Peter H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Carassius auratus; Carps - immunology; Carps - virology; Cyprinus carpio; Cytomegalovirus; DNA vaccine; Fish; Fish Diseases - immunology; Fish Diseases - prevention & control; Fish Diseases - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Seasons; Simian virus 40; Spring viraemia of carp virus; Spring viremia of carp virus; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Vaccines, DNA - immunology; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Viremia - immunology; Viremia - prevention & control; Viremia - veterinary; Virology; Virus Diseases - immunology; Virus Diseases - prevention & control; Virus Diseases - veterinary
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.03.062

Several DNA constructs containing the spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) glycoprotein (G) gene were investigated for their ability to induce protection against SVCV following injection into myofibres. The constructs were pooled into four groups and co-injected with a plasmid encoding murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Group 1 contained one full-length and two truncated G constructs under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Group 2 contained full-length constructs with the CMV promoter, the simian virus 40 promoter and a muscle-specific promoter. Group 3 contained constructs in which the G-gene was fused with a second gene in order to improve secretion of the G-protein or to enhance destruction of transfected myocytes by T cells. Group 4 contained constructs with the CMV-Intron A promoter in plasmids with or without CpG motifs. A small-scale trial in goldfish showed that antibody responses in at least half the fish were induced by three injections of plasmids from Groups 1 and 3 whereas T-cell like responses with stimulation indices of above 3 were induced in at least half the fish by Groups 2 and 4. A single-dose of each plasmid mix was then used to protect carp in a large-scale trial. Following challenge with a heterologous strain of SVCV that killed 64% of fish, the strongest protection was observed in carp that received the full length G-gene expressed by two plasmids driven by the CMV-Intron A promoter (Group 4), with a relative percentage survival of 48% (p=0.00008).