title: Purified influenza virus nucleoprotein protects mice from lethal infection.
abstract: Local administration of nucleoprotein purified from X31 (H3N2) influenza A virus primed for A virus cross-reactive cytotoxic T cells and resulted in substantial protection (75%) of mice from a lethal challenge with the heterologous mouse-adapted A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus. By following the course of a lethal virus challenge we found that nucleoprotein priming did not prevent virus infection but rather aided recovery. Nucleoprotein-primed mice suffered initial symptoms of infection, i.e. weight loss and surface temperature changes, but started to recover after approximately 7 days. We suggest that such heterotypic protection can be attributed to priming of A virus cross-reactive cytotoxic T cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D001835:Body Weight; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: C048842:NP protein, Influenza A virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines