Experimental animal model for analyzing immunobiological responses following vaccination with formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus

Formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus (FI-RSV) vaccine was developed in the 1960s. However, this vaccine does not prevent infection in RSV-naive recipients and has the paradoxical effect of increasing the severity of RSV illness following natural infection, which has been a major obstacle to developing RSV vaccines. Several experimental animal models for determining the cause of the severe symptoms in FI-RSV recipients have been developed. In the present study, cotton rats immunized with FI-RSV were challenged with RSV and histopathological findings and recovery of infectious virus were studied. Copy numbers of mRNA of Th1 and Th2 cytokines were measured in lung tissues to gain better understanding of their immune responses. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and prominent interstitial pneumonitis were observed in the FI-RSV group, as was induction of mRNA of Th2 cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and RANTES. Rats immunized with recombinant measles virus expressing the RSV F protein (MVAIK/RSV/F) and those treated with anti-RSV mAb (palivizumab) showed very mild interstitial pneumonitis. Amounts of mRNA of IL-1β, IFN-γ and IL-4 were higher in the MVAIK/RSV/F group. Administration of palivizumab before RSV challenge decreased the severity of interstitial pneumonitis in the FI-RSV group. FI-RSV induced skewed Th2 responses, resulting in severe inflammatory responses.