RSV Vaccines: Targeting Prefusion F and G Proteins from Structural Design to Clinical Application

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe lower respiratory tract infections in vulnerable populations.
• Infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are at high risk for RSV-related complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in RSV vaccine development, focusing on subunit vaccines targeting F and G proteins.
• To summarize key strategies, challenges, and future directions in RSV vaccine research.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search and analysis of recent RSV vaccine studies.
• Focus on subunit vaccines, structural engineering, and related technologies.

Main Results:

• Approved vaccines (Abrysvo, Arexvy) stabilize the prefusion F protein (PreF) to enhance neutralizing epitopes.
• Subunit candidates (DS-Cav1, DT-PreF) use disulfide bonds for stability; ADV110 targets G protein for cross-strain immunity.
• Virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines (IVX-A12) offer broad immunity by combining antigens. Challenges include PreF stability, immunosenescence, and safety (GBS).

Conclusions:

• Future RSV vaccines should integrate PreF and G proteins and utilize VLP technology.
• Optimizing cold-chain logistics is crucial for global accessibility and effective RSV prevention.