Anti-prion activity generated by a novel vaccine formulation

Authors

John Pilon, USDA APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center
Christina Loiacono, USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, IA
Danelle Okeson, USDA APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center
Sharon Lund, USDA APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center
Kurt C. Vercauteren, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife ServicesFollow
Jack Rhyan, USDA APHIS VS National Wildlife Research Center
Lowell Miller, USDA APHIS VS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow

Date of this Version

November 2007

Comments

Published in Neuroscience Letters 429 (2007) 161–164.

Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of domestic and wild cervids in North America. To address possible prevention regimens for CWD, we have used a mouse model system and the Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML) mouse-adapted scrapie prion strain to screen efficacy of potential vaccine candidates. Three peptides derived from the primary amino acid sequence of the prion protein were conjugated to blue carrier protein (BCP) and formulated in an adjuvant containing M. avium subsp. avium. CL57/BL6 mice were vaccinated and boosted with 50 µg of the carrier protein–peptide conjugate formulation; all vaccines produced a humoral immune response as measured by ELISA. Disease challenge with the RML scrapie prion strain revealed anti-prion activity was generated by the vaccine formulations as measured by a delay in clinical disease onset and prolonged survivorship.