Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
04:23
A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
Published on: April 28, 2019
Recombinant nucleocapsid-like particles from dengue-2 induce functional serotype-specific cell-mediated immunity in
Lázaro Gil1, Lídice Bernardo2, Alequis Pavón2
1Vaccines Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Avenue 31, PO Box 6162, Playa, Havana 10 600, Cuba.
The Journal of General Virology
|March 9, 2012
Summary
Nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs) show promise as a dengue vaccine candidate. These NLPs induce a protective, serotype-specific immune response in mice, mediated by T cells, without generating harmful antibodies.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Virology
Background:
- Dengue virus infection involves complex inflammatory cytokine interactions, influencing disease severity.
- Whole-virus dengue vaccine strategies can induce both protective and pathological immune responses.
- Ideal dengue vaccines require serotype-specific antigen targets to balance efficacy and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel nucleocapsid-like particle (NLP) formulation derived from recombinant dengue-2 capsid protein as a dengue vaccine candidate.
- To assess the protective immunity conferred by NLPs against homologous and heterologous dengue virus challenge in a murine model.
- To analyze the cytokine secretion profiles and cellular immune responses induced by NLPs.
Main Methods:
- Recombinant dengue-2 capsid protein was used to formulate nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs).
- Mice were immunized with NLPs and subsequently challenged with homologous (dengue-2) and heterologous dengue virus serotypes.
- In vitro assays assessed spleen cell cytokine secretion (interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and T cell responses (CD4+, CD8+) upon viral stimulation.
Main Results:
- Immunization with NLPs conferred significant protection against lethal homologous dengue-2 virus challenge, dependent on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
- No protection was observed against heterologous dengue virus challenge.
- In vitro stimulation of spleen cells from immunized mice revealed serotype-specific production of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, indicating cell-mediated immunity.
Conclusions:
- Nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs) represent an attractive vaccine candidate for dengue, inducing functional, serotype-specific cell-mediated immunity.
- The observed T cell-dependent protection against homologous challenge and lack of antiviral antibody induction suggest a potentially favorable safety profile.
- Further investigation in non-human primates and humanized mice is warranted to confirm the therapeutic potential of NLPs for dengue disease.
