A single dose of DNA vaccine based on conserved H5N1 subtype proteins provides protection against lethal H5N1 challenge in mice pre-exposed to H1N1 influenza virus | Chang et al. Virology Journal 2010 7 197 http content 7 1 197 VIROLOGY JOURNAL RESEARCH Open Access A single dose of DNA vaccine based on conserved H5N1 subtype proteins provides protection against lethal H5N1 challenge in mice pre-exposed to H1N1 influenza virus 1 111 5 4 t Z-I t Haiyan Chang Chaoyang Huang Jian Wu Fang Fang Wenjie Zhang Fuyan Wang t Ze Chen 1 Abstract Background Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 infects humans with a high fatality rate and has pandemic potential. Vaccination is the preferred approach for prevention of H5N1 infection. Seasonal influenza virus infection has been reported to provide heterosubtypic immunity against influenza A virus infection to some extend. In this study we used a mouse model pre-exposed to an H1N1 influenza virus and evaluated the protective ability provided by a single dose of DNA vaccines encoding conserved H5N1 proteins. Results SPF BALB c mice were intranasally infected with A PR8 H1N1 virus beforehand. Six weeks later the mice were immunized with plasmid DNA expressing H5N1 virus NP or M1 or with combination of the two plasmids. Both serum specific Ab titers and IFN-g secretion by spleen cells in vitro were determined. Six weeks after the vaccination the mice were challenged with a lethal dose of H5N1 influenza virus. The protective efficacy was judged by survival rate body weight loss and residue virus titer in lungs after the challenge. The results showed that pre-exposure to H1N1 virus could offer mice partial protection against lethal H5N1 challenge and that singledose injection with NP DNA or NP M1 DNAs provided significantly improved protection against lethal H5N1 challenge in mice pre-exposed to H1N1 virus as compared with those in unexposed mice. Conclusions Pre-existing immunity against seasonal influenza viruses is useful in offering protection against H5N1 infection. DNA vaccination may be a quick and effective strategy for persons innaive to influenza A .
