DNA vaccine encoding nucleocapsid and surface proteins of wild type canine distemper virus protects its natural host against distemper

• Published in: Vaccine 2000-07, Vol.18 (26), p.2927-2936
• Main Authors: Cherpillod, Pascal, Tipold, Andrea, Griot-Wenk, Monika, Cardozo, Carmen, Schmid, Ines, Fatzer, Rosmarie, Schobesberger, Martina, Zurbriggen, Rinaldo, Bruckner, Lukas, Roch, Florence, Vandevelde, Marc, Wittek, Riccardo, Zurbriggen, Andreas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens; Antigens, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Canine distemper; canine distemper virus; Carnivores; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Distemper; Distemper - prevention & control; Distemper Virus, Canine - immunology; DNA; DNA vaccine; DNA vaccines; Dogs; Encephalitis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fusion protein; Immune response (cell-mediated); Immune response (humoral); Immunization; Lymph Nodes - virology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Nucleocapsid - immunology; Nucleocapsids; Plasmids; Proteins; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; Vaccination; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Vaccines, DNA - immunology; Viral Envelope Proteins - immunology; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Virology; Viruses
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(00)00119-5

Canine distemper virus (CDV), a member of the genus Morbillivirus induces a highly infectious, frequently lethal disease in dogs and other carnivores. Current vaccines against canine distemper consisting of attenuated viruses have been in use for many years and have greatly reduced the incidence of distemper in the dog population. However, certain strains may not guarantee adequate protection and others can induce post vaccinal encephalitis. We tested a DNA vaccine for its ability to protect dogs, the natural host of CDV, against distemper. We constructed plasmids containing the nucleocapsid, the fusion, and the attachment protein genes of a virulent canine distemper virus strain. Mice inoculated with these plasmids developed humoral and cellular immune responses against CDV antigens. Dogs immunized with the expression plasmids developed virus-neutralizing antibodies. Significantly, vaccinated dogs were protected against challenge with virulent CDV, whereas unvaccinated animals succumbed to distemper.