title: Measles virus nucleocapsid protein protects rats from encephalitis.
abstract: Lewis rats immunized with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the nucleocapsid (N) protein of measles virus were protected from encephalitis when subsequently challenged by intracerebral infection with neurotropic measles virus. Immunized rats revealed polyvalent antibodies to the N protein of measles virus in the absence of any neutralizing antibodies as well as an N protein-specific proliferative lymphocyte response. Depletion of CD8+ T lymphocytes did not abrogate the protective potential of the N protein-specific cell-mediated immune response in rats, while protection could be adoptively transferred with N protein-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes. These results indicate that a CD4+ cell-mediated immune response specific for the N protein of measles virus is sufficient to control measles virus infections of the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie und Immunbiologie, Universität Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bankamp
authors.forename: U G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Brinckmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niewiesk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: ter Meulen
authors.forename: U G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Liebert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D014758:Viral Core Proteins