Abstract
We vaccinated BALB/c mice with peptides derived from the SARS-CoV-2 proteome selected in silico to elicit T-cell responses and/or B-cell responses against linear epitopes. These peptides were administered in combination with either of two adjuvants, poly(I:C) and the STING agonist BI-1387466. Antibody responses against predicted linear epitopes were not observed but both adjuvants consistently elicited T-cell responses to the same peptides, which were primarily from the set chosen for predicted T-cell immunogenicity. The magnitude of T-cell responses was significantly higher with BI-1387466 compared with poly(I:C). Neither adjuvant group, however, provided any protection against infection with the murine adapted virus SARS-CoV-2-MA10 or from disease following infection. In light of more recent evidence for protection from severe disease mediated by CD8+ T-cells, we suspect that the epitopes selected for vaccination were not presented by infected murine cells.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Reinterpretation of negative result in light of stronger more recent studies, expanded methods description.
