Generation of a Candidate Live Marker Vaccine for Equine Arteritis Virus by Deletion of the Major Virus Neutralization Domain

• DOI: 10.1128/jvi.77.15.8470-8480.2003
• Publication Date: 2003-07-12T13:13:13Z
• Authors: Javier Castillo-O...; Roeland Wieringa; Tamás Bakonyi; Antoine A. F. de ...; Nick J. Davis-Poy...; Peter J. M. Rottier
• Keywords: Nidovirales; Arterivirus; Viral Shedding; Attenuated vaccine

ABSTRACT Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped plus-strand RNA of the family Arteriviridae (order Nidovirales) that causes respiratory and reproductive disease in equids. Protective, virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNAb) elicited by infection are directed predominantly against immunodominant region membrane-proximal domain viral envelope glycoprotein G L , allowing recently establishment a sensitive peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on this particular (J. Nugent et al., J. Virol. Methods 90: 167-183, 2000). By using infectious cDNA we have now generated, controlled background nonvirulent virus, mutant EAV from which was deleted. This EAV-G Δ, replicated to normal titers culture cells, although at slower rate than wild-type EAV, caused asymptomatic ponies. The induced neutralized efficiently vitro but reacted poorly strains. Nevertheless, when inoculated subsequently with virulent immunized animals, contrast nonvaccinated controls, were fully protected disease; replication challenge occurred briefly low though detectable levels. levels protection achieved suggest immune effector mechanism other VNAb plays important role infection. As expected, Δ did not induce measurable response our -peptide ELISA while animals clearly did. or similar mutants therefore attractive marker vaccine candidates, enabling serological discrimination between vaccinated virus-infected animals.