Expression of heterologous genes in Mycobacterium bovis BCG: induction of a cellular response against HIV-1 Nef protein.
Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used as a live bacterial vaccine to immunize more than two billion people against tuberculosis. In an attempt to use this vaccinal strain as a vehicle for protective antigens, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gene encoding the Nef protein was cloned in a mycobacteria-Escherichia coli shuttle plasmid and transferred into BCG. The nef gene was expressed under the control of an expression cassette carrying the promoter of the groES/groEL1 operon from Streptomyces albus and a synthetic ribosome-binding site. Lymph node cells from mice immunized with BCG-nef proliferated vigorously in response to purified Nef protein. This first report of a proliferative response suggests that recombinant BCG strains may be used to immunize against pathogens for which T-cell-mediated responses are important for protection.
Winter
N
N
Unité de Génie Microbiologique, C.N.R.S. URA 1300, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Lagranderie
M
M
Rauzier
J
J
Timm
J
J
Leclerc
C
C
Guy
B
B
Kieny
M P
MP
Gheorghiu
M
M
Gicquel
B
B
D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015693:Gene Products, nef; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus