3.2 A VLPs-ISPA vaccine confers total protection against FMDV in a murine model
The protective efficacy of the inclusion of ISPA as adjuvant in a VLPs vaccine (VLPs-ISPA) was tested in mice. Groups of mice were vaccinated with VLPs, VLPs-ISPA, VLPs-CA, Commercial vaccine, CA alone, ISPA alone or PBS (negative controls) at 0 and 21 dpv. Then, mice were challenged with infective FMDV at 36 dpv (Figure 2). Notably, while protection with VLPs alone was achieved in 40% of mice, inclusion of ISPA in the formulation increased protection levels to 100% as well as with the VLPs-CA and commercial vaccines. Animals inoculated with CA, ISPA or PBS were not protected, indicating that the viral challenge was conducted properly and indicates that protection depends on the inclusion of antigen in the vaccine.