Development of a skin- and neuro-attenuated live vaccine for varicella

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28329-1
• Publication Date: 2022-02-11T11:04:53Z
• Authors: Wei Wang; Dequan Pan; Wenkun Fu; Xiangzhong Ye; Jinle Han; Lianwei Yang; Jizong Jia; Jian Liu; Rui Zhu; Yali Zhang; Che Liu; Jianghui Ye; Anca Selariu; Yuqiong Que; Qinjian Zhao; Ting Wu; Yimin Li; Jun Zhang; Tong Cheng; Hua Zhu; Ningshao Xia
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Science; Guinea Pigs; Vaccines, Attenuated; Herpes Zoster; Article; Cell Line; Chickenpox Vaccine; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Chickenpox; Immunogenicity, Vaccine; Animals; Humans; Lung; Skin; Neurons; Q; Vaccination; Fibroblasts; Rats; 3. Good health; Female; Rabbits

AbstractVaricella caused by the primary infection of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) exerts a considerable disease burden globally. Current varicella vaccines consisting of the live-attenuated vOka strain of VZV are generally safe and effective. However, vOka retains full neurovirulence and can establish latency and reactivate to cause herpes zoster in vaccine recipients, raising safety concerns. Here, we rationally design a live-attenuated varicella vaccine candidate, v7D. This virus replicates like wild-type virus in MRC-5 fibroblasts and human PBMCs, the carrier for VZV dissemination, but is severely impaired for infection of human skin and neuronal cells. Meanwhile, v7D shows immunogenicity comparable to vOka both in vitro and in multiple small animal species. Finally, v7D is proven well-tolerated and immunogenic in nonhuman primates. Our preclinical data suggest that v7D is a promising candidate as a safer live varicella vaccine with reduced risk of vaccine-related complications, and could inform the design of other herpes virus vaccines.