Isolated gA/gB glycoprotein complex of human cytomegalovirus envelope induces humoral and cellular immune-responses in human volunteers.
Three human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) seronegative individuals were immunized with a single dose of HCMV envelope; two individuals developed neutralizing antibodies. Two naturally HCMV seropositive and three HCMV seronegative human volunteers were immunized with a major glycoprotein complex, gA/gB, of HCMV that had been purified by immunoadsorbent column chromatography. After a single injection of the gA/gB preparation, the naturally seropositive individuals developed higher titres of neutralizing antibodies and temporarily higher HCMV-specific lymphocyte proliferation (HCMV-LP) responses in vitro. The seronegative individuals developed neutralizing antibodies after the third injection of gA/gB, which were present only transiently, but showed a rapid reappearance and increase in titre after the fourth injection. At 1 year after the first injection, the neutralizing antibody titres were still comparable with those of the naturally seropositive individuals. HCMV-LP responses to HCMV in the initially seronegative individuals developed after the second or third injection with the gA/gB preparation and remained positive during the 1-year observation period. These results show that the gA/gB protein induces both humoral and cellular immune responses in humans, and might serve as the basis of a subunit vaccine.
Gonczol
E
E
Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ianacone
J
J
Ho
W Z
WZ
Starr
S
S
Meignier
B
B
Plotkin
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins