Primary structure of the membrane and nucleocapsid protein genes of feline infectious peritonitis virus and immunogenicity of recombinant vaccinia viruses in kittens.

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) causes a mostly fatal, immunologically mediated disease in cats. Previously, we demonstrated that immunization with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the FIPV spike protein (S) induced early death after challenge with FIPV (Vennema et al., 1990, J. Virol. 64, 1407-1409). In this paper we describe similar immunizations with the FIPV membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. The genes encoding these proteins were cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the amino acid sequences with the corresponding sequences of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus revealed 84.7 and 77% identity for M and N, respectively. Vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the cloned genes induced antibodies in immunized kittens. Immunization with neither recombinant induced early death after challenge with FIPV, strongly suggesting that antibody-dependent enhancement is mediated by antibodies against S only. Immunization with the N protein recombinant had no apparent effect on the outcome of challenge. However, three of eight kittens immunized with the M protein recombinant survived the challenge, as compared to one of eight kittens of the control group.