Neurovirulence evaluation of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) vaccine candidate V3526 in nonhuman primates

Abstract

Assessment of neurovirulence is a standard test for vaccines derived from virulent neurotropic viruses. This study evaluated the potential neurovirulence of V3526, a live attenuated vaccine derived from a full-length infectious clone of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) Trinidad donkey strain (TrD), a comparator VEEV vaccine (TC-83), TrD, and process control material (PCM) in juvenile rhesus macaques. Following intrathalamic/intraspinal (IT/IS) or subcutaneous (SC) inoculations, animals were observed for periods of 18, 91 or 181 days for paresis, paralysis, neurological disorders and other signs of clinical illness. Blood was collected for measurement of viremia, VEEV neutralizing antibodies, hematologic parameters, and liver enzymes. Gross necropsies and histopathological examinations were conducted with emphasis on detecting lesions in the brain and spinal cord. Elevated temperatures (1–2 °C) were noted in several of the TrD and vaccine inoculated animals on Day 6 following inoculation and mean temperatures for the V3526 IT/IS and TC-83 groups were higher than PCM group throughout the study Day 18. No significant differences were seen for weight or clinical chemistry results between vaccine and PCM inoculated groups. Clinically significant signs (Grades 3 or 4) were noted in three of 21 V3526 IT/IS and three of 12 TC-83 inoculated animals, however, these signs resolved within 3 weeks for all V3526 IT/IS and for two of three TC-83 inoculated animals. At Day 18 extensive lesions indicative of a viral infection were seen in brain sections of all four TrD inoculated animals and one of seven V3526 IT/IS inoculated animals. Only scattered lesions, characterized by foci of gliosis and vessels with perivascular inflammation, were found in the sections from four TC-83 and six V3526 IT/IS inoculated animals. The minimal histological changes observed at Day 18 resolved to baseline levels by Day 181 comparable to the PCM group. V3526 was immunogenic and essentially nonneurovirulent when administered via the clinically relevant subcutaneous route.