Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is an ongoing threat to global health, and wide-scale vaccination is an efficient method to reduce morbidity and mortality. We designed and evaluated two DNA plasmid vaccines, based on the pIDV-II system, expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike gene, with or without an immunogenic peptide, in mice, and in a Syrian hamster model of infection. Both vaccines demonstrated robust immunogenicity in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, the shedding of infectious virus and the viral burden in the lungs was reduced in immunized hamsters. Moreover, high-titers of neutralizing antibodies with activity against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants were generated in immunized animals. Vaccination also protected animals from weight loss during infection. Additionally, both vaccines were effective at reducing both pulmonary and extrapulmonary pathology in vaccinated animals. These data show the potential of a DNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 and suggest further investigation in large animal and human studies could be pursued.

Details

Title
Two DNA vaccines protect against severe disease and pathology due to SARS-CoV-2 in Syrian hamsters
Author
Giorgi, Babuadze George 1 ; Fausther-Bovendo Hugues 2 ; Marc-Antoine, deLaVega 2 ; Lillie, Brandon 3 ; Naghibosadat Maedeh 1 ; Shahhosseini Nariman 2 ; Joyce, Michael A 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Saffran, Holly A 4 ; Lorne Tyrrell D 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Falzarano Darryl 5 ; Senthilkumaran Chandrika 1 ; Christie-Holmes, Natasha 6 ; Ahn, Steven 7 ; Gray-Owen, Scott D 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Banerjee Arinjay 5 ; Mubareka Samira 8 ; Mossman, Karen 9   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Dupont Chanel 1 ; Pedersen, Jannie 2 ; Mark-Alexandre, Lafrance 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kobinger, Gary P 10 ; Kozak, Robert 8   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  University Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Biological Sciences Platform, Ontario, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
2  Université Laval, Département de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Quebec City, Canada (GRID:grid.23856.3a) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8390) 
3  University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Canada (GRID:grid.34429.38) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8198) 
4  University of Alberta, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Edmonton, Canada (GRID:grid.17089.37) (ISNI:0000 0001 2190 316X); University of Alberta, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Edmonton, Canada (GRID:grid.17089.37) (ISNI:0000 0001 2190 316X) 
5  University of Saskatchewan, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Saskatoon, Canada (GRID:grid.25152.31) (ISNI:0000 0001 2154 235X) 
6  University of Toronto, Combined Containment Level 3 Unit, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
7  University of Toronto, Department of Molecular Genetics, Toronto, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
8  University Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Biological Sciences Platform, Ontario, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938); Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Division of Microbiology, Toronto, Canada (GRID:grid.413104.3) (ISNI:0000 0000 9743 1587); University of Toronto, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Ontario, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
9  McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Hamilton, Canada (GRID:grid.25073.33) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8227) 
10  Université Laval, Département de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Quebec City, Canada (GRID:grid.23856.3a) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8390); University of Manitoba, Department of Medical Microbiology, Winnipeg, Canada (GRID:grid.21613.37) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 9609); University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Philadelphia, USA (GRID:grid.25879.31) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8972) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20590105
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-022-00461-5
ProQuest document ID
2655335663
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.