Targeting VEGF-A with a vaccine decreases inflammation and joint destruction in experimental arthritis

Inflammation and angiogenesis are two tightly linked processes in arthritis, and therapeutic targeting of pro-angiogenic factors may contribute to control joint inflammation and synovitis progression. In this work, we explored whether vaccination against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

Anti-VEGF vaccines were heterocomplexes consisting of the entire VEGF cytokine (or a VEGF-derived peptide) linked to the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Two kinds of vaccines were separately tested in two independent experiments of CIA. In the first, we tested a kinoid of the murine cytokine VEGF (VEGF-K), obtained by conjugating VEGF-A to KLH. For the second, we selected two VEGF-A-derived peptide sequences to produce heterocomplexes (Vpep1-K and Vpep2-K). DBA/1 mice were immunized with either VEGF-K, Vpep1-K, or Vpep2-K, before CIA induction. Clinical and histological scores of arthritis, anti-VEGF, anti-Vpep Ab titers, and anti-VEGF Abs neutralizing capacity were determined.

Both VEGF-K and Vpep1-K significantly ameliorated clinical arthritis scores and reduced synovial inflammation and joint destruction at histology. VEGF-K significantly reduced synovial vascularization. None of the vaccines reduced anti-collagen Ab response in mice. Both VEGF-K and Vpep1-K induced persistently high titers of anti-VEGF Abs capable of inhibiting VEGF-A bioactivity.

Vaccination against the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF-A leads to the production of anti-VEGF polyclonal Abs and has a significant anti-inflammatory effect in CIA. Restraining Ab response to a single peptide sequence (Vpep1) with a peptide vaccine effectively protects immunized mice from joint inflammation and destruction.