An immunogenic and protective alphavirus replicon particle-based dengue vaccine overcomes maternal antibody interference in weanling mice

A candidate pediatric dengue virus (DENV) vaccine based on nonpropagating Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles (VRP) was tested for immunogenicity and protective efficacy in weanling mice in the presence and absence of potentially interfering maternal antibodies. A gene cassette encoding envelope proteins prM and E from mouse-adapted DENV type 2 (DENV2) strain NGC was cloned into a VEE replicon vector and packaged into VRP, which programmed proper in vitro expression and processing of DENV2 envelope proteins upon infection of Vero cells. Primary immunization of 3-week-old weanling BALB/c mice in the footpad with DENV2 VRP resulted in high levels of DENV-specific serum immunoglobulin G antibodies and significant titers of neutralizing antibodies in all vaccinates. A booster immunization 12 weeks after the prime immunization resulted in increased neutralizing antibodies that were sustained for at least 30 weeks. Immunization at a range of doses of DENV2 VRP protected mice from an otherwise-lethal intracranial DENV2 challenge. To model vaccination in the presence of maternal antibodies, weanling pups born to DENV2-immune or DENV2-naive dams were immunized with either DENV2 VRP or live DENV2 given peripherally. The DENV2 VRP vaccine induced neutralizing-antibody responses in young mice regardless of the maternal immune status. In contrast, live-DENV2 vaccination performed poorly in the presence of preexisting anti-DENV2 antibodies. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a VRP vaccine approach as an early-life DENV vaccine in populations with high levels of circulating DENV antibodies and suggests the utility of VRP-based vaccines in other instances where maternal antibodies make early vaccination problematic.