Researchers at Georgia State University have shown that a vaccine containing virus-like nanoparticles can be a effective treatment for RSV.
Recombinant RSV FG VLP vaccine immune mice treated with clodronate liposomes showed increases in inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and eosinophils. In contrast, FI-RSV immune mice with clodronate liposome treatment demonstrated increases in eosinophils, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, interleukin-4 T-cell infiltration, proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines and mucus production upon RSV infection. FI-RSV immune mice showed severe pulmonary disease in tissue examinations.
The study suggests that recombinant RSV FG virus-like nanoparticle vaccination induces long-term protection against RSV without causing vaccine-enhanced RSV disease by appropriately controlling granulocytes, cytokines and T-cells.
It also proposes that alveolar macrophages play an important role in RSV protection and innate and adaptive immunity by controlling eosinophils, mucus production, inflammatory cytokines and T-cell infiltration.