The cytomegalovirus gB/MF59 vaccine candidate induces antibodies against an antigenic domain controlling cell-to-cell spread.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36823200.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-36683-x and PMC identifier 9950427.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Vaccination against human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains high priority. A recombinant form of a protein essential for CMV entry, glycoprotein B (gB), demonstrated partial protection in a clinical trial (NCT00299260) when delivered with the MF59 adjuvant. Although the antibody titre against gB correlated with protection poor neutralising responses against the 5 known antigenic domains (AD) of gB were evident. Here, we show that vaccination of CMV seronegative patients induces an antibody response against a region of gB we term AD-6. Responses to the polypeptide AD-6 are detected in >70% of vaccine recipients yet in <5% of naturally infected people. An AD-6 antibody binds to gB and to infected cells but not the virion directly. Consistent with this, the AD-6 antibody is non-neutralising but, instead, prevents cell-cell spread of CMV in vitro. The discovery of AD-6 responses has the potential to explain part of the protection mediated by gB vaccines against CMV following transplantation.
Medical subject headings
- Cytomegalovirus Infections
- Cytomegalovirus Vaccines