Effects of Gamma Irradiation of Human Serum Samples from rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP (V920) Ebola Virus Vaccine Recipients on Plaque-Reduction Neutralization Assays
Rebecca J Grant-Klein, Joseph Antonello, Rick Nichols, Sheri Dubey, Jakub K Simon, Rebecca J Grant-Klein, Joseph Antonello, Rick Nichols, Sheri Dubey, Jakub K Simon
Abstract
Gamma irradiation (GI) is included in the CDC guidance on inactivation procedures to render a group of select agents and toxins nonviable. The Ebola virus falls within this group because it potentially poses a severe threat to public health and safety. To evaluate the impact of GI at a target dose of 50 kGy on neutralizing antibody titers induced by the rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine (V920), we constructed a panel of 48 paired human serum samples (GI-treated versus non-GI-treated) from healthy participants selected from a phase 3 study of V920 (study V920-012; NCT02503202). Neutralizing antibody titers were determined using a validated plaque-reduction neutralization test. GI of sera from V920 recipients was associated with approximately 20% reduction in postvaccination neutralizing antibody titers. GI was not associated with any change in pre-vaccination neutralizing antibody titers.
Conflict of interest statement
Disclosure: R. J. G.-K., J. A., S. D., and J. K. S. are employees of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, and may own stock/stock options in Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ. R. N. has received personal fees from New Link Genetics as a consultant.
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Source: PubMed