DNA prime-protein boost strategies protect cattle from bovine viral diarrhea virus type 2 challenge

• Published in: Journal of general virology 2008-02, Vol.89 (2), p.453-466
• Main Authors: Liang, R, Van den Hurk, J.V, Landi, A, Lawman, Z, Deregt, D, Townsend, H, Babiuk, L.A, Van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; antibody formation; Biological and medical sciences; Bovine viral diarrhea virus; Bovine viral diarrhea virus 1; Bovine viral diarrhea virus 2; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - prevention & control; Cattle; CD4-positive T-lymphocytes; cell-mediated immunity; Diarrhea Virus 2, Bovine Viral - chemistry; Diarrhea Virus 2, Bovine Viral - genetics; Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral - genetics; DNA; DNA Primers - administration & dosage; DNA, Viral - administration & dosage; DNA, Viral - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glycoprotein E2; glycoproteins; humoral immunity; interferons; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; plasmid vectors; Plasmids - administration & dosage; Plasmids - genetics; vaccination; Vaccination - veterinary; viral antigens; Viral Envelope Proteins - administration & dosage; Viral Envelope Proteins - genetics; Viral Envelope Proteins - immunology; Viral Vaccines - administration & dosage; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Virology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.83251-0

At present, infections with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) type 2 occur nearly as frequently as those with BVDV type 1, so development of vaccines that protect cattle from both type 1 and type 2 BVDV has become critical. In this study, we compared various DNA prime-protein boost vaccination strategies to protect cattle from challenge with BVDV-2 using the major protective antigen of BVDV, glycoprotein E2. Calves were immunized with a plasmid encoding either type 1 E2 (E2.1) or type 2 E2 (E2.2) or with both plasmids (E2.1+E2.2). This was followed by a heterologous boost with E2.1, E2.2 or E2.1 and E2.2 protein formulated with Emulsigen and a CpG oligodeoxynucleotide. Subsequently, the calves were challenged with BVDV-2 strain 1373. All vaccinated calves developed both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, including virus-neutralizing antibodies and IFN--secreting cells in the peripheral blood. Depletion studies showed that CD4+ T cells were responsible for IFN- production. Furthermore, the calves vaccinated with either the E2.2 or the E2.1+E2.2 vaccines were very well protected from challenge with BVDV-2, having little leukopenia and showing no weight loss or temperature response. In addition, the animals vaccinated with the E2.1 vaccine were partially protected, so there was a certain level of cross-protection. These data demonstrate that a vaccination strategy consisting of priming with E2.2 or E2.1+E2.2 DNA and boosting with E2.2 or E2.1+E2.2 protein fully protects cattle from BVDV-2 challenge.