Dengue virus premembrane and membrane proteins elicit a protective immune response.
We have constructed recombinant vaccinia viruses that express the premembrane (pre-M), membrane (M), or the cleaved, residual portion of pre-M (non-M) proteins of dengue 4 virus, or the pre-M, non-M, or envelope (E) proteins of dengue 2 virus, to evaluate their ability to induce protective immunity in mice. Cells infected with these recombinants make proteins of expected size. Mice immunized with recombinants expressing dengue 4 pre-M or M were protected against subsequent dengue 4 encephalitis challenge, but non-M was not protective. However, a recombinant that expressed both pre-M and E as a polyprotein gave solid protection, while the simultaneous administration of the two recombinants expressing pre-M and E gave a significant level of protection. Pre-M and M function as antigens eliciting a protective immune response, and the combination of pre-M plus E is more protective than E alone.
Molecular Viral Biology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
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D000818:Animals; D003715:Dengue / Q000276:immunology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins