Development and characterization of chimera of yellow fever virus vaccine strain and Tick-Borne encephalitis virus

Nadezhda Kuznetsova, Andrei Siniavin, Alexander Butenko, Victor Larichev, Alina Kozlova, Evgeny Usachev, Maria Nikiforova, Olga Usacheva, Alexey Shchetinin, Andrei Pochtovyi, Elena Shidlovskaya, Alina Odintsova, Elizaveta Belyaeva, Aleksander Voskoboinikov, Arina Bessonova, Lyudmila Vasilchenko, Galina Karganova, Vladimir Zlobin, Denis Logunov, Vladimir GushchinAlexander Gintsburg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is one of the most threatening pathogens which affects the human central nervous system (CNS). TBEV circulates widely in Northern Eurasia. According to ECDC, the number of TBE cases increase annually. There is no specific treatment for the TBEV infection, thus vaccination is the main preventive measure. Despite the existence of several inactivated vaccines currently being licensed, the development of new TBEV vaccines remains a leading priority in countries endemic to this pathogen. Here we report new recombinant virus made by infectious subgenomic amplicon (ISA) approach using TBEV and yellow fever virus vaccine strain (YF17DD-UN) as a genetic backbone. The recombinant virus is capable of effective replication in mammalian cells and induce TBEVneutralizing antibodies in mice. Unlike the original vector based on the yellow fever vaccine strain, chimeric virus became neuroinvasive in doses of 107-106 PFU and can be used as a model of flavivirus neuroinvasiveness, neurotropism and neurovirulence. These properties of hybrid structures are the main factors limiting their practical use as vaccines platforms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere0284823
JournalPloS one
Volume18
Issue number5 May
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2023
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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