Poster abstracts
Poster number 84 submitted by Samiha Kabir
Generation of a live attenuated RSV vaccine with optimized immunogenicity
Samiha Kabir (MCDB)
Abstract:
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects all children by the age of two. RSV causes severe infection in immunocompromised children and adults. It is deemed a major cause of infant mortality and is a significant burden on the economy. There is no approved vaccine for RSV. RSV has two subtypes, A and B, which circulate in dominance. Antibodies against one subtype can neutralize the other, though not as efficiently. We propose to generate a live attenuated vaccine (LAV) candidate expressing two fusion (F) proteins from two different subtypes. The fusion protein of RSV is critical for establishing successful infection and induces the highest titer of neutralizing antibodies (nAb). The pre fusion (pre-F) form of F retains the two most immunogenic sites of the protein and is the most effective antigen for eliciting nAb. Pre-F will be stabilized and will be incorporated into our LAV. Furthermore, we will test the efficacy of our LAV in vivo by immunizing cotton rats followed by wt RSV challenge. Together, these strategies will generate an LAV with a broader, enhanced immune response that will protect against both RSV A and B.
Keywords: RSV, LAV