Multivalent Influenza DNA vaccine induces cross-reactive polyfunctional T lymphocytes and promotes rapid clearance of heterologous challenge strain in non-human primates

Recent avian and swine-origin influenza virus outbreaks illustrate the ongoing threat of influenza pandemic. New vaccines that offer accelerated production and broader, more universal protection against drifted and shifted strains are needed. Here, we investigated a multivalent PMED DNA vaccine for the ability to induce antibody and T cell responses against four HA antigens, nucleoprotein and the ectodomain of M2 (M2e). Macaques in the Vaccinated and Control groups were intramuscularly anaesthetized with ketamine (10 mg/kg) and inoculated with a suspension containing 10^6.5 p.f.u. ml-1 of CA09 virus through a combination of intratracheal (4.5 ml), intranasal (0.5 ml per nostril), ocular (0.1 ml per eye) and oral (1 ml) routes (resulting in a total infectious dose of 10^7.4 PFU). Bronchoalveolar lavages were collected two weeks prior to challenge and at days 3, 7, and 10 post-infection. We performed microarray analysis on these samples.