• Vaccine Name: VSV vector expressing Y. pestis lcrV
• Target Pathogen: Yersinia pestis
• Target Disease: Plague
• Vaccine Ontology ID: VO_0000845
• Type: Recombinant vector vaccine
• LcrV from Y. pestis CO92 gene engineering:
  • Type: Protein
  • Description:
  • Detailed Gene Information: Click Here.
• Preparation: Recombinant plasmids for recovery of VSV recombinants expressing the low calcium response protein V (LcrV) of Y. pestis were using PCR amplification of the lcrV gene. The PCR product was digested, purified and ligated to XhoI–NheI digested pVSV1XN or pVSVXN2 to generate pVSV-LcrV1 and pVSV-LcrV5, respectively. The lcrV gene was also cloned at the fifth position of the glycoprotein exchange vector pVSV(GNJ)XN-1, where the ORF of the New Jersey serotype G replaced the G of the parent Indiana serotype genome, to generate pVSV(GNJ)-LcrV5. Recombinant VSVs expressing LcrV were recovered from these plasmids (Palin et al., 2007).
• Virulence:
• Description: Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based vector is potentially a candidate plague vaccine. VSV is a negative-strand RNA virus encoding five structural proteins: nucleocapsid (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix (M), glycoprotein (G) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (L). It is a natural pathogen of livestock; human infection is rare and usually asymptomatic. VSV recombinants expressing foreign genes can be generated from plasmid DNA. VSV can accommodate insertion of large foreign genes whose expression can be controlled based on the site of gene insertion in the VSV genome. VSV induces potent humoral and cellular immune responses in a variety of animal models. VSV naturally infects mucosal surfaces to elicit strong systemic immunity and possible local mucosal immunity. The extremely low VSV seropositivity in the general population is also an added advantage. Previous studies have shown that recombinant VSV-based vectors expressing appropriate foreign antigens are highly effective vaccines that protect against challenges with numerous viral pathogens (Palin et al., 2007).

Mouse Response

• Host Strain: Six to 8 week-old Balb/C female mice (Charles River laboratories).
• Vaccination Protocol: Animals were anesthetized with methoxyfluorane (Metafane; Medical Developments Australia, Pty. Ltd.) and then inoculated with 1 × 10^6 pfu of virus in a total volume of 25 μl. Some groups of mice also received 1 × 10^6 pfu of the boosting virus VSV(GNJ)-LcrV5 at about 1-month post-prime (Palin et al., 2007).
• Persistence: The prime+boost protection was durable, lasting at least 5 months after the boost (Palin et al., 2007).
• Side Effects: None noted.
• Efficacy: Highly significant protection was obtained in the VSV-LcrV1-prime + boost group where 9 out of 10 animals survived challenge. Protection in the VSV-LcrV5-prime + boost group was also significant, in which four out of nine mice survived challenge (Palin et al., 2007).