Avridine and LPS from Brucella ovis: effect on the memory induced by foot-and-mouth disease virus vaccination in mice.

Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the more economically important diseases among meat-producing biungulate species. In contrast to natural infection, current foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccines, prepared with inactivated virus and adjuvants, elicit short-lived protection. The immunomodulating effect on FMDV vaccines of avridine and lipopolysaccharide of Brucella ovis (LPS) was tested in a murine model. The duration of immunity, protection, stimulation of immunocompetent cells producing a long-lasting secondary response and immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes were examined. The incorporation of either immunomodulator into aqueous and oil vaccines induced a long-lasting specific antibody response. The neutralizing titres and protection were significantly higher than those observed in animals immunized with control vaccines. Data collected from repopulation assays indicated that the immunomodulators used participate in the activation of immune cell populations involved in long-lasting memory. This resulted in an efficient B-cell secondary response even in the absence of T cells, which were necessary for the stimulatory effect of the immunomodulators in donor mice. Avridine and LPS stimulated IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b production, which was correlated with the improvement of the protection induced by these vaccines.