Upper and lower respiratory tract correlates of protection against respiratory syncytial virus following vaccination of nonhuman primates

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a major cause of respiratory illness in infants and the elderly. Although several vaccines have been developed, none have succeeded in part due to our incomplete understanding of the correlates of immune protection. While both T cells and antibodies play a role, emerging data suggest that antibody-mediated mechanisms alone may be sufficient to provide protection. Therefore, to map the humoral correlates of immunity against RSV, antibody responses across six different vaccines were profiled in a highly controlled nonhuman primate-challenge model. Viral loads were monitored in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts, and machine learning was used to determine the vaccine platform-agnostic antibody features associated with protection. Upper respiratory control was associated with virus-specific IgA levels, neutralization, and complement activity, whereas lower respiratory control was associated with Fc-mediated effector mechanisms. These findings provide critical compartment-specific insights toward the rational development of future vaccines.