Differential histopathology and chemokine gene expression in lung tissues following respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) challenge of formalin-inactivated RSV- or BBG2Na-immunized mice
Uf. Power et al., Differential histopathology and chemokine gene expression in lung tissues following respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) challenge of formalin-inactivated RSV- or BBG2Na-immunized mice, J VIROLOGY, 75(24), 2001, pp. 12421-12430
A BALB/c mouse model of enhanced pulmonary pathology following vaccination
with formalin-inactivated alum-adsorbed respiratory syncytial virus (FI-RSV
) and live RSV challenge was used to determine the type and kinetics of his
topathologic lesions induced and chemokine gene expression profiles in lung
tissues. These data were compared and contrasted with data generated follo
wing primary and/or secondary RSV infection or RSV challenge following vacc
ination with a promising subunit vaccine, BBG2Na. Severe peribronchiolitis
and perivascularitis coupled with alveolitis and interstitial inflammation
were the hallmarks of lesions in the lungs of Fl-RSV-primed mice, with peak
histopathology evident on days 5 and 9. In contrast, primary RSV infection
resulted in no discernible lesions, while challenge of RSV-primed mice res
ulted in rare but mild peribronchiolitis and perivascularitis, with no evid
ence of alveolitis or interstitial inflammation. Importantly, mice vaccinat
ed with a broad dose range (20 to 0.02 mug) of a clinical formulation of BB
G2Na in aluminium phosphate demonstrated histopathology similar to that obs
erved in secondary RSV infection. At the molecular level, FI-RSV priming wa
s characterized by a rapid and strong up-regulation of eotaxin and monocyte
chemotactic protein 3 (MCP-3) relative gene expression (potent lymphocyte
and eosinophil chemoattractants) that was sustained through late time point
s, early but intermittent up-regulation of GRO/melanoma growth stimulatory
activity gene and inducible protein 10 gene expression, while macrophage in
flammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) and especially MCP-1 were up-regulated only at
late time points. By comparison, primary RSV infection or BBG2Na priming r
esulted in considerably lower eotaxin and MCP-3 gene expression increases p
ostchallenge, while expression of lymphocyte or monocyte chemoattractant ch
emokine genes (MIP-1 beta, MCP-1, and MIP-2) were of higher magnitude and k
inetics at early, but not late, time points. Our combined histopathologic a
nd chemokine gene expression data provide a basis for differentiating betwe
en aberrant FI-RSV-induced immune responses and normal responses associated
with RSV infection in the mouse model. Consequently, our data suggest that
BBG2Na may constitute a safe RSV subunit vaccine for use in seronegative i
nfants.