biostudies-literatureChi HMunicipal Healthcare Joint-Innovation Major Project of GuangzhouNIAID NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNational Science and Technology Pillar ProgramState Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease2069-2075https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5411280biostudies-literatureUnknown35(16)The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is an emerging pathogen that continues to cause outbreaks in the Arabian peninsula and in travelers from this region, raising the concern that a global pandemic could occur. Here, we show that a DNA vaccine encoding the first 725 amino acids (S1) of MERS-CoV spike (S) protein induces antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. With three immunizations, high titers of neutralizing antibodies (up to 1: 10⁴) were generated without adjuvant. DNA vaccination with the MERS-CoV S1 gene markedly increased the frequencies of antigen-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells secreting IFN-γ and other cytokines. Both pcDNA3.1-S1 DNA vaccine immunization and passive transfer of immune serum from pcDNA3.1-S1 vaccinated mice protected Ad5-hDPP4-transduced mice from MERS-CoV challenge. These results demonstrate that a DNA vaccine encoding MERS-CoV S1 protein induces strong protective immune responses against MERS-CoV infection.VaccineDNA vaccine encoding Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus S1 protein induces protective immune responses in mice.PMC54112802014SKRD-001R01 AI129269RO1 AI0913222016040200112013BAD12B04R01 AI091322PO1 AI060699P01 AI060699Gai WXia XZheng XWang CPerlman SWang XWang HChi HYang SZhao JfalseDNA vaccine encoding Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus S1 protein induces protective immune responses in mice.The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is an emerging pathogen that continues to cause outbreaks in the Arabian peninsula and in travelers from this region, raising the concern that a global pandemic could occur. Here, we show that a DNA vaccine encoding the first 725 amino acids (S1) of MERS-CoV spike (S) protein induces antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. With three immunizations, high titers of neutralizing antibodies (up to 1: 10⁴) were generated without adjuvant. DNA vaccination with the MERS-CoV S1 gene markedly increased the frequencies of antigen-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells secreting IFN-γ and other cytokines. Both pcDNA3.1-S1 DNA vaccine immunization and passive transfer of immune serum from pcDNA3.1-S1 vaccinated mice protected Ad5-hDPP4-transduced mice from MERS-CoV challenge. These results demonstrate that a DNA vaccine encoding MERS-CoV S1 protein induces strong protective immune responses against MERS-CoV infection.2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Apr2024-11-06T13:15:28.483Z2019-03-26T23:27:45ZS-EPMC54112802831456110.1016/j.vaccine.2017.02.063