Vaccination with a live retrovirus: the nature of the protective immune response.
We tested 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) combined with interferon alpha as chemoprophylaxis after exposing mice to Rauscher murine leukemia virus. Therapy started 4 hr after inoculation and administered for 20 days prevented viremia and disease in all 234 mice tested. When the animals were rechallenged with live virus after cessation of therapy, 96% were resistant. The nature of this protective immune response was analyzed: Passive serotherapy of naive mice challenged subsequently with Rauscher murine leukemia virus was only protective at a high dose of immune serum. Immune, but not naive, T cells alone were fully protective against virus challenge. We conclude that vaccination with a live retrovirus that cannot replicate because of pharmacological blockade induces a T-cell response capable of protecting against a lethal retrovirus-induced disease.
Ruprecht
R M
RM
Division of Cancer Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
Mullaney
S
S
Bernard
L D
LD
Gama Sosa
M A
MA
Hom
R C
RC
Finberg
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011925:Rauscher Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D015215:Zidovudine