Live, attenuated coronavirus vaccines through the directed deletion of group-specific genes provide protection against feline infectious peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal immunity-mediated disease caused by mutants of a ubiquitous coronavirus. Since previous attempts to protect cats under laboratory and field conditions have been largely unsuccessful, we used our recently developed system of reverse genetics (B. J. Haijema, H. Volders, and P. J. M. Rottier, J. Virol. 77:4528-4538, 2003) for the development of a modified live FIP vaccine. With this objective, we deleted the group-specific gene cluster open reading frame 3abc or 7ab and obtained deletion mutant viruses that not only multiplied well in cell culture but also showed an attenuated phenotype in the cat. At doses at which the wild-type virus would be fatal, the mutants with gene deletions did not cause any clinical symptoms. They still induced an immune response, however, as judged from the high levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies. The FIP virus (FIPV) mutant lacking the 3abc cluster and, to a lesser extent, the mutant missing the 7ab cluster, protected cats against a lethal homologous challenge; no protection was obtained with the mutant devoid of both gene clusters. Our studies show that the deletion of group-specific genes from the coronavirus genome results in live attenuated candidate vaccines against FIPV. More generally, our approach may allow the development of vaccines against infections with other pathogenic coronaviruses, including that causing severe acute respiratory syndrome in humans.