Determining the impact of vaccination on the temporal presence of prions in the blood of chronic wasting disease challenged white-tailed deer
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Allison George, Erin McNulty, Amy Nalls, Nathaniel Denkers, Candace Mathiason
Presenter(s): Allison George
Mentors(s): Erin McNulty
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is the fatal neurodegenerative disease of deer, elk and moose caused by the accumulation of misfolded prion protein. We are assessing the efficacy of two vaccine candidates in the native white-tailed deer (WTD) host. One vaccine targets structure-specific surface epitopes of the misfolded prion protein to induce a protective immune response against prions, and the other vaccine aims to activate immune responses against the normal cellular prion protein blocking infection. Deer cohorts receiving either or both vaccines in combination remain healthy demonstrating vaccine safety. Additional deer cohorts, after receiving a vaccine prime/boost series, were orally challenged with CWD and are being monitored for CWD status and shedding profiles including the presence of prions in their blood. Infectious prions have been demonstrated in the blood of infected sheep, cattle, deer, and humans. Yet in vitro detection of blood-borne prions has been hampered by low concentration and assay inhibitors. Our established modified prion amplification assay (LIQ), detects hematogenous CWD prions. We will assess longitudinally-collected blood samples from vaccinated and challenged WTD at 3-month intervals to determine the presence of prions in blood. Findings from this study will determine the efficacy of two vaccine candidates to mitigate CWD infection and shedding, and fill knowledge gaps about the role of the immune response in CWD infection and mitigation.