An mRNA Vaccine Encoding Rabies Virus Glycoprotein Induces Protection against Lethal Infection in Mice and Correlates of Protection in Adult and Newborn Pigs
Fig 2
Induction of rabies virus specific T cells upon immunization of female BALB/c mice with RABV-G mRNA.
Mice were vaccinated twice (days 0 and 21) with 80 μg RABV-G mRNA, 0.1 human dose Rabipur (LIC) or buffer. Activated, antigen specific (A) CD8+ T cells and (B) CD4+ T cells were analyzed by intracellular staining of IFN-γ alone (left panel), TNFα alone (middle panel) or IFN-γ and TNFα (right panel) followed by flow cytometry analysis. Isolation of splenocytes was done 6 days after the second immunization. (C+D) Analysis of long-lasting T cell immunoreactivity. Mice were treated with 80 μg RABV-G mRNA, 0.1 human dose Rabipur (LIC) or injection buffer alone at days 0 and 21. Ten weeks after boost, animals were sacrificed and IFN-γ and TNFα double positive antigen-specific (C) CD8+ and (D) CD4+ T cells were analysed by flow cytometry (n = 8/group). Mean and SD (n = 8/group) is presented. Statistical significance was tested with one-way ANOVA test using Tukey’s multiple comparisons test compared to buffer group or as indicated (* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01; *** p≤0.0001).