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Beitari S, Agbayani G, Hewitt M, Duque D, Bavananthasivam J, Sandhu JK, Akache B, Hadžisejdić I, Tran A. Effectiveness of VSV vectored SARS-CoV-2 spike when administered through intranasal, intramuscular or a combination of both. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21390. [PMID: 38049498 PMCID: PMC10695950 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical feature of the VSV vector platform is the ability to pseudotype the virus with different glycoproteins from other viruses, thus altering cellular tropism of the recombinant virus. The route of administration is critical in triggering local and systemic immune response and protection. Most of the vaccine platforms used at the forefront are administered by intramuscular injection. However, it is not known at what level ACE2 is expressed on the surface of skeletal muscle cells, which will have a significant impact on the efficiency of a VSV-SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccine to mount a protective immune response when administered intramuscularly. In this study, we investigate the immunogenicity and efficacy of a prime-boost immunization regimen administered intranasally (IN), intramuscularly (IM), or combinations of the two. We determined that the prime-boost combinations of IM followed by IN immunization (IM + IN) or IN followed by IN immunization (IN + IN) exhibited strong spike-specific IgG, IgA and T cell response in vaccinated K18 knock-in mice. Hamsters vaccinated with two doses of VSV expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike, both delivered by IN or IM + IN, showed strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Alpha and Delta. This protection was also observed in aged hamsters. Our study underscores the highly crucial role immunization routes have with the VSV vector platform to elicit a strong and protective immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saina Beitari
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gerard Agbayani
- Immunomodulation, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Hewitt
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Diana Duque
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jegarubee Bavananthasivam
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jagdeep K Sandhu
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bassel Akache
- Immunomodulation, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ita Hadžisejdić
- Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Anh Tran
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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