AUTHOR=Mei Shan , Fan Zhangling , Liu Xiaoman , Zhao Fei , Huang Yu , Wei Liang , Hu Yamei , Xie Yu , Wang Liming , Ai Bin , Liang Chen , Xu Fengwen , Guo Fei TITLE=Immunogenicity of a vaccinia virus-based severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine candidate JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.911164 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.911164 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines provide essential tools for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of technologies have been employed to develop SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, including the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 particles, mRNA to express viral spike protein, recombinant spike proteins, and viral vectors. Here, we report the use of the vaccinia virus Tiantan strain as a vector to express the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. When it was used to inoculate mice, robust SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific antibody response and T-cell response were detected. Sera from the vaccinated mice showed strong neutralizing activity against the ancestral Wuhan SARS-CoV-2, the variants of concern (VOCs) B.1.351, B.1.617.2, and the emerging B.1.1.529 (omicron). This finding supports the possibility of developing a new type of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine using the vaccinia virus vector.