Recombinant adenovirus expressing F and H fusion proteins of peste des petits ruminants virus induces both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in goats

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute and contagious disease of some small ruminants caused by peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). Fusion (F) protein and hemagglutinin (H) protein are two glycoproteins of PPRV that might induce a protective immune response. In this study, three replication-defective recombinant adenoviruses were constructed and the immunogenicity was evaluated in goats (the natural host). The recombinant adenoviruses (rAds) expressing F, H, and F–H fusion protein were named rAd-F, rAd-H, and rAd-F–H, respectively. In vitro, the proteins expressed in AAV-293 cells infected with different rAds were identified by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The results showed that the proteins could be expressed in vitro. Three groups of goats (6 goats per group) were inoculated subcutaneously twice at 3-week intervals with the rAds. As negative controls, two additional groups were inoculated with wild-type adenovirus (wtAd) or PBS. In vivo, goats immunized with the rAds developed PPRV-specific virus neutralizing antibody (VNA) by 3 weeks after primary immunization. Moreover, the seroconversions were maintained for approximately 21 weeks after primary immunization. Stronger lymphocyte proliferation responses were induced in goats immunized with the three rAds than in the negative controls (P < 0.05). Notably, goats inoculated with rAd-F–H developed significantly higher VNA titers (P < 0.05) and stronger cell-mediated immune responses than did goats inoculated with rAd-F or rAd-H alone. The results suggest that the three rAds might be attractive candidate differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) vaccines for preventing PPRV infection. Notably, the rAd-F–H expressing F–H fusion protein is likely the most potent candidate of the rAds.