Highly efficient expression of proteins encoded by recombinant vaccinia virus in lymphocytes.
Using a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV) that expresses E. coli beta galactosidase (beta-Gal) to infect lymphocytes, we show that enzymometrically or immunologically detectable beta-Gal expression is less pronounced among T cells than among B cells. VV infection caused growth inhibition of B cells, but barely affected T-cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, the production of infectious viral particles was less pronounced in T lymphocytes. Kinetic studies revealed that after an initial dose-dependent growth inhibition, T cells continued to proliferate without the doubling time being affected by VV infection. Nonetheless, the T cells do express proteins encoded by recombinant VV, such as beta-Gal, or secrete soluble proteins such as interleukin-4, though at a lower efficiency at the per cell level than B lymphocytes. In conclusion, the physiology of T cells appears to be less perturbed by VV than that of B cells, although the virus is capable of directing expression of recombinant genes to T lymphocytes.
Alonso
J M
JM
Centro de Biología Molecular, CSIC, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
Rodriguez
J
J
Viñuela
E
E
Kroemer
G
G
Martínez
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014779:Virus Replication; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis
D014764:Viral Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase