npj Vaccines (Apr 2018)

FIV vaccine with receptor epitopes results in neutralizing antibodies but does not confer resistance to challenge

  • Craig Miller,
  • Mauren Emanuelli,
  • Elizabeth Fink,
  • Esther Musselman,
  • Ryan Mackie,
  • Ryan Troyer,
  • John Elder,
  • Sue VandeWoude

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-018-0051-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Feline immunodeficiency virus: In vivo protection remains elusive A vaccine candidate for feline immunodeficiency virus elicits strong immunological reaction in vitro, but no protection to live cats. The feline analog to human immunodeficiency virus, FIV shares a similar infection paradigm and has only one partially effective vaccine. A US team, led by Colorado State University’s Susan VandeWoude, immunized cats using a complex of an FIV surface protein and a feline cell-surface protein known to facilitate FIV’s entry into immune cells. Tissue culture assays yielded promising results; however, this did not translate to live-animal protection. The researchers highlighted multiple factors that could explain the lack of success, including circulatory pro-infection factors, and immune responses generated against vaccine by-products rather than intended targets. While the vaccine candidate failed, the research provides invaluable guidance for future efforts into FIV vaccination with implications for HIV vaccine trials.