Development of FIV-specific cytolytic T-lymphocyte responses in cats upon immunisation with FIV vaccines

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 57; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Tellier, Marinka C., Soos, Jeanne, Pu, Ruiyu, Pollock, David, Yamamoto, Janet K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.06.1997; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Animals; Antigens, Viral; Biological and medical sciences; Cats - immunology; CD4-CD8 Ratio; Conventional vaccines; Cytolytic T-lymphocytes; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - prevention & control; feline immunodeficiency virus; FIV; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunity, Cellular; Immunization; Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline - immunology; Microbiology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Viral Vaccines; Virology; Conventional vaccines; FIV; Cytolytic T-lymphocytes; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Chordopoxvirinae; Recombinant virus; Retroviridae; Cytotoxicity; Cellular immunity; Vaccine; Feline immunodeficiency virus; Virus; Vertebrata; Avipoxvirus; Mammalia; Immunogenicity; Poxviridae; Animal; Cat; T-Lymphocyte; Lentivirinae; Veterinary
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1135(97)00081-3

Vaccine protection has been achieved in cats against experimental infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Such protection has been attributed to FIV-specific humoral immunity, as well as cellular immunity of unknown mechanism(s). Since cell-mediated immunity plays a crucial role in the clearance of viral infections, this study evaluated the role of FIV-specific CTL in vaccine prophylaxis. Cats were immunised with inactivated FIV vaccines, reported to have >90% vaccine efficacy. Significant levels of specific CTL activity were detected following the third immunisation. CTL activity persisted for several months and could be enhanced through a booster immunisation. The levels of CTL activity were comparable to those induced by a recombinant canarypoxvirus based FIV vaccine. These results suggest a possible role for CTL-mediated immunity in vaccine protection against FIV infection in cats.