In recent years, the scientific community has made significant strides in combating infectious diseases that affect both humans and animals. With a particular focus on those that cause substantial economic impact, the development of effective and durable vaccines remains a top priority. In an exciting development, researchers have achieved a milestone in the ongoing battle against Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD), an acute zoonotic disease that has long plagued the agricultural sector with devastating outbreaks. A potent immune response has been observed in a newly crafted nanovaccine tailored to combat this disease with encouraging results.
Published by the authoritative journal “Vaccine,” a new study has detailed the development and efficacy of FMD virus VP1 nanovaccines adjuvanted with thermostable polymeric scaffolds. This research, led by a team from the One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training at Sun Yat-Sen University, offers path-breaking insights into a disease that has led to significant livestock losses worldwide, crippling economies dependent on animal husbandry.
The research article, made available in January 2024, carries the pertinent Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.079, ensuring its accessibility and citation in further scientific investigation.
FMD is notorious for its highly contagious nature and its ability to spread rapidly among cloven-hoofed animals, leading to quarantines and culling that severely impact food supplies and trade. The disease, caused by the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), has variant serotypes, with A and O being the most common.
The groundbreaking study authored by Yuanli Peng et al. zeroes in on a promising solution. The team has successfully created multimeric nanovaccines by conjugating recombinant VP1 (the viral capsid protein of serotype A and O FMDV) with thermostable scaffolds. They employed a robust plug-and-display technology known as the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system to achieve this feat.
The researchers harnessed two different scaffolds: lumazine synthase (LS) and Quasibacillus thermotolerans encapsulin (QtEnc). Both platforms were found to enhance the immunogenicity of the VP1 antigen, but they discovered that the QtEnc-VP1 nanovaccine inspired higher antibody titres compared to its LS-VP1 counterpart. Notably, the QtEnc-VP1 induced an immune response characterized by a Th1 bias, signifying a leaning towards cellular immunity, coupled with the production of high levels of neutralizing antibodies, crucial for combating the virus.
After immunization, robust and long-lasting IgG antibody production was noted. On day 14 post-immunization, antibody titres in vaccinated mice were recorded to be approximately 100 times higher than those elicited by monomeric antigens. This impressive response indicates not only the vaccine’s immediate potency but also its potential for enduring protection.
Importantly, the thermostable nature of these nanovaccines positions them as ideal candidates for deployment in regions with limited resources, where maintaining a cold chain for vaccine preservation is often unfeasible. This characteristic could revolutionize FMDV control efforts in much of the developing world, where the disease remains endemic and challenges are compounded by infrastructural constraints.
The study’s integrity is underlined by a clear declaration of no competing interests, ensuring the research’s objectivity and the implications it carries for the global fight against FMD.
As the scientific community and stakeholders in global agricultural health digest these findings, the path forward includes scaling these nanovaccines for larger animal trials and considering the regulatory pathways for eventual widespread use. It’s a development that promises economic relief and the enhancement of food security across the world.
References
1. Peng, Y., Yan, H., Zhang, J., Peng, R., Feng, X., Su, J., Yi, H., Lu, Y., & Chen, Z. (2024). Potent immune responses against thermostable Foot-and-Mouth disease virus VP1 nanovaccine adjuvanted with polymeric thermostable scaffold. Vaccine. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.079
2. Grubman, M. J., & Baxt, B. (2004). Foot-and-mouth disease. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 17(2), 465-493. doi:10.1128/CMR.17.2.465-493.2004
3. Knight-Jones, T. J., & Rushton, J. (2013). The economic impacts of foot and mouth disease – What are they, how big are they and where do they occur? Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 112(3-4), 161-173. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.07.013
4. Paton, D. J., & Valarcher, J. F. (2018). FMD vaccines. Virus Research, 281, 90-99. doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2018.11.010
5. Doel, T. R. (2003). FMD vaccines: Reflections on quality aspects for applicability in European agriculture. Vaccine, 21(16), 1752-1760. doi:10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00045-3
Keywords
1. Foot-and-Mouth disease vaccine
2. FMDV nanovaccine
3. Thermostable vaccine development
4. VP1 antigen immunogenicity
5. SpyTag/SpyCatcher technology vaccines