title: A novel strategy for converting recombinant viral protein into high immunogenic antigen.
abstract: Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a lymphokine promoting immune response and therefore has been investigated as an immunological adjuvant. In order to enhance the immunogenicity of recombinant viral protein, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D (gD), we genetically created a fusion protein consisting of gD and human IL-2. The fusion protein, without any other adjuvants, induced high antibody responses and cell-mediated immunity to HSV-1 in mice. Mice immunized with the fusion protein were protected against HSV-1 infection. The results indicate that IL-2-fusing can provide a means for converting a weak immunogenic protein into a high immunogenic antigen, and the strategy would be widely applicable to the other antigens for pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Laboratories, Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinuma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hazama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayumi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007114:Immunization; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C039447:glycoprotein D, Human herpesvirus 1