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Li L, Liu Z, Shi J, Yang M, Yan Y, Fu Y, Shen Z, Peng G. The CDE region of feline Calicivirus VP1 protein is a potential candidate subunit vaccine. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:80. [PMID: 38443948 PMCID: PMC10916247 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03914-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Feline calicivirus (FCV) infection causes severe upper respiratory disease in cats, but there are no effective vaccines available for preventing FCV infection. Subunit vaccines have the advantages of safety, low cost and excellent immunogenicity, but no FCV subunit vaccine is currently available. The CDE protein is the dominant neutralizing epitope region of the main antigenic structural protein of FCV, VP1. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the CDE region as a truncated FCV VP1 protein in preventing FCV infection to provide a strategy for developing potential FCV subunit vaccines. RESULTS Through the prediction of FCV VP1 epitopes, we found that the E region is the dominant neutralizing epitope region. By analysing the spatial structure of VP1 protein, 13 amino acid sites in the CD and E regions were found to form hydrogen bonding interactions. The results show the presence of these interaction forces supports the E region, helping improve the stability and expression level of the soluble E protein. Therefore, we selected the CDE protein as the immunogen for the immunization of felines. After immunization with the CDE protein, we found significant stimulation of IgG, IgA and neutralizing antibody production in serum and swab samples, and the cytokine TNF-α levels and the numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes were increased. Moreover, a viral challenge trial indicated that the protection generated by the CDE subunit vaccine significantly reduced the incidence of disease in animals. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we studied the efficacy of the CDE protein, which is the dominant neutralizing epitope region of the FCV VP1 protein, in preventing FCV infection. We revealed that the CDE protein can significantly activate humoral, mucosal and cellular immunity, and the resulting protective effect can significantly reduce the incidence of animal disease. The CDE region of the FCV capsid is easy to produce and has high stability and excellent immunogenicity, which makes it a candidate for low-cost vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Zirui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jiale Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Mengfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yanan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Zhou Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Guiqing Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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Hofmann-Lehmann R, Hosie MJ, Hartmann K, Egberink H, Truyen U, Tasker S, Belák S, Boucraut-Baralon C, Frymus T, Lloret A, Marsilio F, Pennisi MG, Addie DD, Lutz H, Thiry E, Radford AD, Möstl K. Calicivirus Infection in Cats. Viruses 2022; 14:937. [PMID: 35632680 PMCID: PMC9145992 DOI: 10.3390/v14050937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common pathogen in domestic cats that is highly contagious, resistant to many disinfectants and demonstrates a high genetic variability. FCV infection can lead to serious or even fatal diseases. In this review, the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD), a scientifically independent board of experts in feline medicine from 11 European countries, presents the current knowledge of FCV infection and fills gaps with expert opinions. FCV infections are particularly problematic in multicat environments. FCV-infected cats often show painful erosions in the mouth and mild upper respiratory disease and, particularly in kittens, even fatal pneumonia. However, infection can be associated with chronic gingivostomatitis. Rarely, highly virulent FCV variants can induce severe systemic disease with epizootic spread and high mortality. FCV can best be detected by reverse-transcriptase PCR. However, a negative result does not rule out FCV infection and healthy cats can test positive. All cats should be vaccinated against FCV (core vaccine); however, vaccination protects cats from disease but not from infection. Considering the high variability of FCV, changing to different vaccine strain(s) may be of benefit if disease occurs in fully vaccinated cats. Infection-induced immunity is not life-long and does not protect against all strains; therefore, vaccination of cats that have recovered from caliciviral disease is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Margaret J. Hosie
- MRC—University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Katrin Hartmann
- Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany;
| | - Herman Egberink
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Uwe Truyen
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Séverine Tasker
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK;
- Linnaeus Veterinary Limited, Shirley, Solihull B90 4BN, UK
| | - Sándor Belák
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health (BVF), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7036, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | | | - Tadeusz Frymus
- Department of Small Animal Diseases with Clinic, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Albert Lloret
- Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Fulvio Marsilio
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Maria Grazia Pennisi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy;
| | - Diane D. Addie
- Veterinary Diagnostic Services, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Hans Lutz
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Etienne Thiry
- Veterinary Virology and Animal Viral Diseases, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège University, B-4000 Liège, Belgium;
| | - Alan D. Radford
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK;
| | - Karin Möstl
- Institute of Virology, Department for Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
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Spiri AM, Riond B, Stirn M, Novacco M, Meli ML, Boretti FS, Herbert I, Hosie MJ, Hofmann-Lehmann R. Modified-Live Feline Calicivirus Vaccination Reduces Viral RNA Loads, Duration of RNAemia, and the Severity of Clinical Signs after Heterologous Feline Calicivirus Challenge. Viruses 2021; 13:1505. [PMID: 34452370 PMCID: PMC8402717 DOI: 10.3390/v13081505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common cat virus causing clinical signs such as oral ulcerations, fever, reduced general condition, pneumonia, limping and occasionally virulent-systemic disease. Efficacious FCV vaccines protect against severe disease but not against infection. FCV is a highly mutagenic RNA virus whose high genetic diversity poses a challenge in vaccine design. The use of only one modified-live FCV strain over several decades might have driven the viral evolution towards more vaccine-resistant variants. The present study investigated the clinical signs, duration, and amount of FCV shedding, RNAemia, haematological changes and acute phase protein reaction in SPF cats after subcutaneous modified-live single strain FCV vaccination or placebo injection and two subsequent oronasal heterologous FCV challenge infections with two different field strains. Neither clinical signs nor FCV shedding from the oropharynx and FCV RNAemia were detected after vaccination. After the first experimental infection, vaccinated cats had significantly lower clinical scores, less increased body temperature and lower acute phase protein levels than control cats. The viral RNA loads from the oropharynx and duration and amount of RNAemia were significantly lower in the vaccinated animals. No clinical signs were observed in any of the cats after the second experimental infection. In conclusion, FCV vaccination was beneficial for protecting cats from severe clinical signs, reducing viral loads and inflammation after FCV challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Spiri
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Barbara Riond
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Martina Stirn
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Marilisa Novacco
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Marina L. Meli
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Felicitas S. Boretti
- Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Imogen Herbert
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (I.H.); (M.J.H.)
| | - Margaret J. Hosie
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (I.H.); (M.J.H.)
| | - Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (B.R.); (M.S.); (M.N.); (M.L.M.); (R.H.-L.)
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Abstract
Many of the decisions regarding the vaccination of cats relate to the animal’s lifestyle. Vaccination requirements for the solitary indoor cat are very different than those for feral or free-roaming cats. Core vaccines include those directed against feline herpesvirus, feline parvovirus, and feline caliciviruses. Other important vaccines include the mandated rabies vaccination and also vaccination against feline leukemia. One significant issue with respect to feline vaccination is the development of injection site sarcomas. Although the prevalence of these is low and should not inhibit the use of vaccines, they are impossible to predict and very difficult to treat.
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Smith SL, Afonso MM, Pinchbeck GL, Gaskell RM, Dawson S, Radford AD. Temporally separated feline calicivirus isolates do not cluster phylogenetically and are similarly neutralised by high-titre vaccine strain FCV-F9 antisera in vitro. J Feline Med Surg 2019; 22:602-607. [PMID: 31411533 PMCID: PMC7252219 DOI: 10.1177/1098612x19866521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a highly variable and globally important feline pathogen for which vaccination has been the mainstay of control. Here, we test whether the continued use of FCV-F9, one of the most frequently used vaccine strains globally, is driving the emergence of vaccine-resistant viruses in the field. METHODS This study made use of two representative panels of field isolates previously collected from cats visiting randomly selected veterinary practices across the UK as part of separate cross-sectional studies from 2001 and 2013/2014. Phylogenetic analysis and in vitro virus neutralisation tests were used to compare the genetic and antigenic relationships between these populations and FCV-F9. RESULTS Phylogenetic analysis showed a typically radial distribution dominated by 52 distinct strains, with strains from both 2001 and 2013/2014 intermingled. The sequence for FCV-F9 appeared to be integral to this phylogeny and there were no significant differences in the genetic distances within each studied population (intra-population distances), or between them (inter-population distances), or between each population and FCV-F9. A 1 in 8 dilution neutralised 97% and 100% of the 2001 and 2013/14 isolates, respectively, and a 1 in 16 dilution neutralised 87% and 75% of isolates, respectively. There was no significant difference either in variance between the FCV-F9 neutralising titres for the two populations, or in the distribution of neutralisation titres across the two populations. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although FCV is a highly variable virus, we found no evidence for a progressive divergence of field virus from vaccine strain FCV-F9, either phylogenetically or antigenically, with FCV-F9 antisera remaining broadly and equally cross-reactive to two geographically representative and temporally separated FCV populations. We suggest this may be because the immunodominant region of the FCV capsid responsible for neutralisation may have structural constraints preventing its longer term progressive antigenic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley L Smith
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
| | - Maria M Afonso
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
| | - Gina L Pinchbeck
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
| | - Rosalind M Gaskell
- Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
| | - Susan Dawson
- Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
| | - Alan D Radford
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK
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