Measles virus fusion protein presented in an immune-stimulating complex (iscom) induces haemolysis-inhibiting and fusion-inhibiting antibodies, virus-specific T cells and protection in mice.
Immune-stimulating complexes (iscoms), which have recently been shown to be highly effective for the antigenic presentation of membrane proteins of viruses, were prepared with affinity-purified fusion (F) protein of measles virus (MV), using an adaptation of the standard method for iscom preparation. Immunization of monkeys with the F iscom preparation induced biologically active anti-F protein antibodies as was shown in haemolysis inhibition and cell-cell fusion inhibition tests. A whole MV iscom preparation, which also contained the haemagglutinin protein, induced not only also haemolysis-inhibiting antibodies, but, in contrast to the F iscom preparation, also haemagglutination-inhibiting and virus-neutralizing antibodies. In addition the F iscom preparation was shown to activate measles virus-specific T cells in mice. This was demonstrated by the generation of an MV-specific delayed type hypersensitivity response in F iscom-immunized animals and by the isolation of T cell clones specific for MV F protein with the T helper phenotype. Vaccination of mice with MV iscom or F iscom protected them from MV-induced fatal encephalopathy. The data concerning the immunogenicity of MV proteins presented in iscoms are discussed in relation to their potential for the development of an inactivated measles vaccine.
de Vries
P
P
Department of Immunobiology, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Hygiene, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
van Binnendijk
R S
RS
van der Marel
P
P
van Wezel
A L
AL
Voorma
H O
HO
Sundquist
B
B
Uytdehaag
F G
FG
Osterhaus
A D
AD
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008823:Micelles; D062605:Quillaja Saponins; D011817:Rabbits; D012503:Saponins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008823:Micelles; D062605:Quillaja Saponins; D012503:Saponins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; C046386:Quil A