Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Clinical Protection of SARS-CoV-2 S1 and N Antigens in Syrian Golden Hamster
Zhenye Niu,
Xueqi Li,
Yang Gao,
Lichun Wang,
Shengtao Fan,
Xingli Xu,
Guorun Jiang,
Pingfang Cui,
Dandan Li,
Yun Liao,
Li Yu,
Heng Zhao,
Ying Zhang,
Qihan Li
Affiliations
Zhenye Niu
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Xueqi Li
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Yang Gao
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Lichun Wang
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Shengtao Fan
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Xingli Xu
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Guorun Jiang
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Pingfang Cui
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Dandan Li
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Yun Liao
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Li Yu
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Heng Zhao
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Ying Zhang
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
Qihan Li
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development for Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming 650118, China
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic continues to be a global public crisis affecting human health. Many research groups are developing different types of vaccines to suppress the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and some vaccines have entered phase III clinical trials and have been rapidly implemented. Whether multiple antigen matches are necessary to induce a better immune response remains unclear. To address this question, this study tested the immunogenicity and protective effects of a SARS-CoV-2 recombinant S and N peptide vaccine in the Syrian golden hamster model. This experiment was based on two immunization methods: intradermal and intramuscular administration. Immunized hamsters were challenged with live SARS-CoV-2 14 days after booster immunization. Clinical symptoms were observed daily, and the antibody titer and viral load in each tissue were detected. The results showed that immunization of golden hamsters with the SARS-CoV-2 structural protein S alone or in combination with the N protein through different routes induced antibody responses, whereas immunization with the N protein alone did not. However, although the immunized hamsters exhibited partial alleviation of clinical symptoms when challenged with the virus, neither vaccine effectively inhibited the proliferation and replication of the challenging virus. In addition, the pathological damage in the immunized hamsters was similar to that in the control hamsters. Interestingly, the neutralizing antibody levels of all groups including immunized and nonimmunized animals increased significantly after viral challenge. In conclusion, the immune response induced by the experimental S and N polypeptide vaccines had no significant ability to prevent viral infection and pathogenicity in golden hamsters.