Transfer of Anti-Rotavirus Antibodies during Pregnancy and in Milk Following Maternal Vaccination with a Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Amplicon Vector

Meier, Anita F.; Suter, Mark; Schraner, Elisabeth M.; Humbel, Bruno M.; Tobler, Kurt; Ackermann, Mathias; Laimbacher, Andrea S.

Protection of newborn human and mice against various pathogens is supported by placental transfer of antibodies from mother to child and, additionally, after birth via the lactogenic route [18] [19] [20] . Notably, the number of placental layers between mothers and their fetuses is different for various mammals, which affects or inhibits the ability to transfer antibodies during pregnancy. The mammals cluster into three groups, with humans belonging to group 1, where, due to their single layer placenta type, the major amount of immunoglobulin is transferred to the fetus prior to parturition [21] . In group 2, with mice and dogs as examples, the immunoglobulins are transferred both through the placental and the lactogenic pathway. The efficiency by which different isotypes of antibodies are transferred to the milk differs between the individual species. Although being aware of these differences, it was of interest to observe the general potency of our vaccine type in a mouse model. We thus studied the kinetics of anti-RV antibody production in the sera of mice as well as in their milk. Moreover, we tested for prepartum antibody transfer compared to the postpartum transfer by milk. Finally, we also tested the protective effect of passive antibody transfer in the context of a challenge infection.