G. R. Reddy

The plasmid constructs producing shRNA corresponding to the conserved 3D polymerase of Foot and Mouth Disease virus protects guinea pigs against challenge virus

RNA interference (RNAi) has been used as an effective antiviral strategy for its specific silencing of viral gene expression in mammalian cells. In this study, shRNA targeting two regions of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) i.e. 3D and 5′UTR which are very essential in virus replication were evaluated. The constructs were made using h7K RNA polymerase III promoter. We investigated in vivo inhibitory effect of shRNA on FMDV replication in BHK-21 cells and guinea pigs. The results showed that transfection of 3D shRNA could reduce virus growth by three folds when cells were challenged with 102 TCID50 of FMDV. Pretreated guinea pigs with 3DshRNA were protected 80% with 103 GPID50 of FMDV. As a first report in guinea pigs which are recognized animal model for FMD vaccine potency testing, the study suggests that shRNA could be a viable therapeutic approach to control severity of FMD infection and spread.

DNA prime-protein boost strategy with replicase-based DNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease in bovine calves.

The limited efficacy of DNA vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle and other natural hosts has prompted a search for a more effective vaccination regimen. In this study we tested a DNA prime-protein boost vaccination strategy against FMD in bovine calves. We used purified recombinant FMDV specific multi-epitope protein (rMEG990) and an optimized sindbis virus replicase-based DNA vaccine expressing this protein (pSinCMV-Vac-MEG990). We demonstrate that vaccination with a low dose of pSinCMV-Vac-MEG990 (10 μg/animal) and subsequently boosting with rMEG990 resulted in induction of neutralizing antibodies, IFN-γ production and protection against homologous virus challenge. However, vaccination with a high dose of pSinCMV-Vac-MEG990 (100 μg/animal) and boosting with rMEG990 resulted in significantly lower immune responses and more severity to the challenge test. Additionally, we show that the post-vaccinal IFN-γ levels in animals correlated positively to their protection against FMDV challenge. These findings suggest that a replicase-based DNA vaccine in proper prime-boost combination may offer an efficient vaccine strategy against FMDV and that IFN-γ could be used as an additional immune parameter to predict protection against FMDV infection.

Enhancement of DNA vaccine (P12A3C-pcDNA) efficacy against foot-and-mouth disease by coadministration of interleukin-18-expressing (IL18 pcDNA) plasmid in guinea-pigs

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals causing considerable economic loss in the affected countries. The presently used tissue-cultured inactivated vaccine protects the vaccinated animals for a short duration of immunity. As one of the approaches to develop alternative vaccines, P12A3C-pcDNA (containing P12A and 3C coding sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus) and bovine IL18 pcDNA plasmids were constructed and the immune response of these constructs was evaluated when they were coinoculated in guinea-pigs. The humoral response was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (for levels of IgG1, IgG2) and a serum neutralization test (SNT), and the cellular response using an MTT assay. Significantly higher humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were seen in the P12A3C and the IL-18 coinoculated group than that in P12A3C-pcDNA alone and inactivated virus vaccine inoculated groups. Similarly, a higher population of CD4(+) , CD8(+) and T-helper type 1 (Th1), and Th2 cytokine levels were seen in the former group in comparison with the other groups. P12A3C+IL-18 protected all the six animals when challenged with a homologous virus compared with five and four in an inactivated virus vaccine and the P12A3C-pcDNA groups, respectively. These results have shown that the plasmid encoding for P12A3C-pcDNA, when coinoculated with IL-18, induced higher responses and protected the animals from a virus challenge.

Cationic microparticle [poly(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide)]‐coated DNA vaccination induces a long‐term immune response against foot and mouth disease in guinea pigs

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) can be controlled by regular vaccination and restriction of the movement of infected animals in the endemic countries. Although presently used, tissue culture inactivated vaccine gives protection, it has several limitations, including a short duration of immunity. DNA vaccine delivered through microparticles could comprise an alternative approach to conventional vaccine when aiming to circumvent these limitations.

Sindbis virus replicase-based DNA vaccine construct encoding FMDV-specific multivalent epitope gene: studies on its immune responses in guinea pigs.

Foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) is still a perennial global menace affecting livestock health and production. It is imperative to figure out new ways to curb this disease. In this study, a sindbis virus replicase‐based DNA vaccine, pSinCMV‐Vac‐MEG990, encoding a multivalent epitope gene (representing tandemly linked VP1 C‐terminal halves of three foot‐and‐mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes) was constructed. In vitro transfection studies in BHK‐21 cells revealed that the construct was able to express FMDV‐specific antigen but does not overproduce the antigen. Immunization of guinea pigs with the construct at dose rate of 10, 5, 2 and 1 μg per animal through intramuscular route showed significant neutralizing antibody induction at all doses against all serotype tested as compared to non‐immunized controls. On viral challenge of guinea pigs 4 week post‐immunization with 1000 GPID50 of FMDV serotype A, it was observed that the immunization not only delayed the appearance and reduced the severity of FMD lesions significantly (P < 0.05) but also provided complete protection in several guinea pigs. In fact, two of six and one of six guinea pigs were completely protected in 10 and 5 μg immunized groups, respectively. These results suggest that the development of the replicase‐based DNA vaccine may provide a promising approach as an alternative vaccine strategy for controlling FMD.

Self Replicating Gene Vaccine Carrying P1-2A Gene of FMDV Serotype O and its Effects on the Immune Responses of Cattle

DNA vaccines are considered as alternatives to live attenuated ones for those diseases like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) where the production and application of live vaccines have been found unsuccessful. However, stability of DNA and the quantity of antigen expressed are the major limitation with naked DNA vaccines. To address these issues self replicating gene vaccine construct was made for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type ‘O’ and studied. The vector for vaccine construct, designated as pSinCMVVac carried CMV promoter and Poly(A) signal sequences at 5′ and 3′ end of Sindbis replicase gene respectively. Gene for structural protein precursor (P1-2A) of FMDV serotype ‘O’ was inserted into pSinCMVVac under subgenomic promoter. 5′UTR (untranslated region) of FMDV was introduced upstream of P1-2A to enhance the level of expression of cloned gene. Functionality of the vaccine construct was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. The self-replicating gene vaccine construct was tested in cattle in comparison with naked DNA vaccine carrying P1-2A and 3CD (pUP3CD). Humoral immune response by ELISA and SNT and cellular response by lymphoproliferation assay using MTT were studied. The default approach of using self replicating gene vaccine in high dose and multiple injection in cattle as followed in our studies might result in immunosuppression as this was observed in our subsequent experiments in guinea pigs. Hence based on dose response studies, vaccine strategy needs to be decided. However, the approach of using Sindbis polymerase gene and UTR in FMDV vaccine is the first report and shows future scope of developing such vaccines.

DNA vaccine (P1-2A-3C-pCDNA) co-administered with Bovine IL-18 gives protective immune response against Foot and Mouth Disease in cattle

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals causing considerable economic loss in the affected countries. Presently used tissue culture inactivated vaccine protects the vaccinated animals for a short duration. DNA vaccines along with appropriate adjutants is one of the approach for the development of alternative vaccine. In the present study, we constructed P1-2A-3CpCDNA (containing P1-2A-3C coding sequences of FMDV Asia-1 Ind 63/72) and bovine IL-18 pCDNA plasmids and evaluated in cattle. Four groups of calves each group containing six calves were vaccinated with 200μg of plasmid DNA vaccine P1-2A-3CpCDNA, P1-2A-3CpCDNA+ bIL-18pCDNA and inactivated vaccine respectively where as fourth group was unvaccinated. P1-2A-3CpCDNA+bIL-18pCDNA vaccinated animals have shown higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and specific T-cell proliferation responses. Higher levels of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells were observed in these animals. Similarly, IL-18 adjuvanted group has shown increased Th1 and Th2 cytokine responses. All the vaccinated animals were challenged with cattle adapted FMD homologous Asia1 virus two weeks after the booster dose. IL18 co administered DNA vaccine construct has protected four out of six animals challenged with homologous virus.