Influence of administration dose and route on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of BBG2Na, a recombinant respiratory syncytial virus subunit vaccine candidate

Abstract

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of BBG2Na, a novel recombinant respiratory syncytial virus subunit vaccine candidate, was assessed in BALB/c mice under various conditions of dose, administration route and number of immunisations. A single intra-peritoneal (i.p.) dose of 2 μg, or two doses of 0.2 μg, were sufficient to induce elevated RSV-A serum antibodies and sterilising lung protective immunity. Serum antibody titres were significantly boosted following second immunisations, but not a third. Of three routes of immunisation, i.p. induced the highest RSV-A antibody titres, followed in efficacy by the intra-muscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) routes. Nonetheless, all three routes induced comparable and sterilising lung protection. In contrast, upper respiratory tract protection was observed only after i.p. vaccination, although significant viral titre reductions were evident following i.m. or s.c. immunisations. Interestingly, Pepscan analyses indicated that antibody epitope usage was highest in i.p. and lowest in i.m. immunised mice, respectively. Nonetheless, all routes resulted in antibody responses to known lung protective epitopes (protectopes). Thus, the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease, the principle goal of a RSV vaccine, but not URT infection, is dose dependent but unlikely to be influenced by the route of BBG2Na administration.