Highlights
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Rapid production is a key to effective influenza vaccines.
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DNA vaccine efficacy was increased by targeting antigens to chemokine receptors.
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Such targeting was particularly efficient at induction of broadly reactive T cells.
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These T cells could mediate broad protection across different influenza subtypes.
Abstract
Efficient influenza vaccination of pigs can reduce disease burdens for the swine industry, but also represents an important measure for reducing the risk from novel viral reassortments that pose pandemic threats to the human population. Here, we have vaccinated pigs with a DNA vaccine encoding influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) linked to the chemokine MIP1α that bind chemokine receptors 1, 3, and 5 expressed on antigen presenting cells (APC). Such MIP1α targeting of HA to APC enhanced induction of HA reactive antibodies, particularly IgG2. In addition, the MIP1α- HA vaccine induced strong T cell responses that could cross-react with different influenza subtypes. Thus, the strategy of targeting HA to chemokine receptors could be important for inducing broad protection against antigenically diverse influenza strains in pigs.
Keywords
DNA vaccine
Influenza
Chemokine receptor
APC-targeting
Pig
© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.