Immunization with recombinant V10 protects cynomolgus macaques from lethal pneumonic plague

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, necessitates effective vaccines and therapeutics.
• Current subunit vaccine candidates include recombinant low-calcium-response V antigen (rLcrV) and recombinant F1 (rF1) antigens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of rLcrV and a variant, recombinant V10 (rV10), as plague vaccine components.
• To assess protection conferred by antibodies generated against these antigens.

Main Methods:

• Immunization of animal models with rLcrV, rV10, or rF1, alone or in combination.
• Challenge studies to assess protection against Yersinia pestis.
• Passive immunization studies using antibodies from immunized macaques.
• Analysis of antibody reactivity to LcrV-derived peptides.

Main Results:

• Immunization with rLcrV or rV10, with or without rF1, prevented pneumonic lesions and disease.
• Passive immunization with antibodies against rLcrV, rV10, or rF1 protected mice against bubonic plague challenge.
• rV10 immune sera lacked antibodies recognizing linear LcrV oligopeptides, unlike rLcrV immune sera.

Conclusions:

• rLcrV and rV10 are promising components for Yersinia pestis subunit vaccines.
• Antibodies generated against rLcrV, rV10, and rF1 offer protection against plague.
• rV10 may elicit a different antibody response compared to rLcrV.