Enhanced mucosal immunoglobulin A response and solid protection against foot-and-mouth disease virus challenge induced by a novel dendrimeric peptide.

ABSTRACT: The successful use of a dendrimeric peptide to protect pigs against challenge with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), which causes the most devastating animal disease worldwide, is described. Animals were immunized intramuscularly with a peptide containing one copy of a FMDV T-cell epitope and branching out into four copies of a B-cell epitope. The four immunized pigs did not develop significant clinical signs upon FMDV challenge, neither systemic nor mucosal FMDV replication, nor was its transmission to contact control pigs observed. The dendrimeric construction specifically induced high titers of FMDV-neutralizing antibodies and activated FMDV-specific T cells. Interestingly, a potent anti-FMDV immunoglobulin A response (local and systemic) was observed, despite the parenteral administ

SUBMITTER: Cubillos C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2446959 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature