A pilot study on a heterologous prime-boost approach for inducing an immune response against double-layered human...

Rotavirus is known for its pathogenicity in children under the age of five, causing severe gastroenteritis with concerning mortality and morbidity rates in endemic regions. The complex, three-layered capsid of this pathogen is a substantial field of study, and deepening our understanding, particularly of double-layered particles (DLPs), is crucial for advancing various rotavirology areas, such as vaccine development, pathogenesis, host-virus interactions, and diagnostic research. In this pilot study, we designed and evaluated three immunostimulation regimens to generate the highest level of anti-VP6 antibody in vivo for a range of downstream applications, which may require these antibodies as a starting point for further investigation.

This study indicated that immune stimulation can vary based on the combination of antigens and the order in which they are introduced into the host. According to our findings, a heterologous regimen composed of recombinant VP6 protein with complete Freund's adjuvant as the priming shot and rotavirus particles with incomplete Freund's adjuvant as the booster shot could elicit an antibody response at least two-fold stronger than the other homologous regimens applied in the present study. This preliminary observation suggests a high-yielding yet cost-effective protocol to access abundant anti-VP6 polyclonal antibodies as a base for different DLP-relying research.