Inclusion of a universal tetanus toxoid CD4(+) T cell epitope P2 significantly enhanced the immunogenicity of recombinant rotavirus ΔVP8* subunit parenteral vaccines.

ABSTRACT: Currently available live oral rotavirus vaccines, Rotarix(®) and RotaTeq(®), are highly efficacious in developed countries. However, the immunogenicity and efficacy of such vaccines in some developing countries are low. We reported previously that bacterially-expressed rotavirus ΔVP8* subunit vaccine candidates with P[8], P[4] or P[6] specificity elicited high-titer virus neutralizing antibodies in animals immunized intramuscularly. Of note was the finding that antibodies induced with the P[8]ΔVP8* vaccine neutralized both homotypic P[8] and heterotypic P[4] rotavirus strains to high titer. To further improve its vaccine potential, a tetanus toxoid universal CD4(+) T cell epitope P2 was introduced into P[8] or P[6]ΔVP8* construct. The resulting recombinant fusion proteins expressed in Esch

SUBMITTER: Wen X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4104241 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature