Molecular genetic methods for quality control of inactivated vaccines using a Chikungunya virus model: vaccine strain identification and completeness of virus inactivation

INTRODUCTION. The completeness of virus inactivation and the identity of the vaccine strain are essential parameters for the safety and quality of inactivated virus vaccines, which should be controlled during vaccine development and production. Currently, the most promising quality control methods for inactivated virus vaccines are molecular genetic methods, which provide rapid results with high sensitivity and specificity.

AIM. The aim of this study was the development of a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method and an integrated cell culture real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ICC-qPCR) method to assess the completeness of virus inactivation, as well as a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RT-PCR-RFLP) to confirm the identity of the vaccine virus strain.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study used RNA of CHIKV genotypes (three strains of each of the four CHIKV genotypes, including Asian, West African (WAf), and East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotypes, and the Indian Ocean Lineage of the ECSA genotype (ECSA-IOL), which were identified by sequencing prior to analysis). Additionally, the study used the Nika21 CHIKV strain (ECSA genotype), the Nika21 CHIKV strain inactivated with β-propiolactone, and the Nika21 CHIKV strain antigen adsorbed on aluminium hydroxide. The methods used included real-time qPCR, RT-PCR-RFLP, and virus neutralisation.

RESULTS. The study identified a 218 bp fragment of the nsP1 gene (positions 789 to 1006) with restriction endonuclease recognition sites. These sites were present or absent in combinations specific to each of the four CHIKV genotypes. The authors selected primers for amplification of the specified gene region and tested the conditions for real-time qPCR and RT-PCR-RFLP. The study demonstrated the possibility of using the ICC-qPCR method to confirm the completeness of virus inactivation and the RT-PCR-RFLP method to identify the vaccine strain.

CONCLUSIONS. The study showed the advantages of using the ICC-qPCR method to confirm the completeness of antigen inactivation and the RT-PCR-RFLP method to identify the vaccine strain. These methods are more sensitive and faster than traditional culture methods. ICC-qPCR and RT-PCR-RFLP can be used at any stage of the production process for inactivated vaccines.

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