Comparison of Three Chimeric Zika Vaccine Prototypes Developed on the Genetic Background of the Clinically Proven Live-Attenuated Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine SA-14-2

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Date 2025 Jan 11

PMID 39796052

Authors

Byung-Hak Song

Jordan C Frank

Sang-Im Yun

Justin G Julander

Jeffrey B Mason

Irina A Polejaeva

Christopher J Davies

Kenneth L White

Xin Dai

Young-Min Lee

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a medically important mosquito-borne orthoflavivirus, but no vaccines are currently available to prevent ZIKV-associated disease. In this study, we compared three recombinant chimeric viruses developed as candidate vaccine prototypes (rJEV/ZIKV, rJEV/ZIKV, and rJEV/ZIKV), in which the two neutralizing antibody-inducing prM and E genes from each of three genetically distinct ZIKV strains were used to replace the corresponding genes of the clinically proven live-attenuated Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine SA-14-2 (rJEV). In WHO-certified Vero cells (a cell line suitable for vaccine production), rJEV/ZIKV exhibited the slowest viral growth, formed the smallest plaques, and displayed a unique protein expression profile with the highest ratio of prM to cleaved M when compared to the other two chimeric viruses, rJEV/ZIKV and rJEV/ZIKV, as well as their vector, rJEV. In IFNAR mice, an animal model of ZIKV infection, subcutaneous inoculation of rJEV/ZIKV caused a low-level localized infection limited to the spleen, with no clinical signs of infection, weight loss, or mortality; in contrast, the other two chimeric viruses and their vector caused high-level systemic infections involving multiple organs, consistently leading to clear clinical signs of infection, rapid weight loss, and 100% mortality. Subsequently, subcutaneous immunization with rJEV/ZIKV proved highly effective, offering complete protection against a lethal intramuscular ZIKV challenge 28 days after a single-dose immunization. This protection was specific to ZIKV prM/E and likely mediated by neutralizing antibodies targeting ZIKV prM/E. Therefore, our data indicate that the chimeric virus rJEV/ZIKV is a highly promising vaccine prototype for developing a safe and effective vaccine for inducing neutralizing antibody-mediated protective immunity against ZIKV.

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