title: Recovery of immunodeficient mice from a vaccinia virus/IL-2 recombinant infection.
abstract: Vaccinia virus recombinants that express cloned genes encoding antigens of unrelated infectious agents, such as hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), provide a new approach to the development of live vaccines. Although there is evidence that genetically engineered vaccinia viruses have reduced pathogenicity a major obstacle to their use as vaccines is that severe complications can occur after vaccination, especially in immunodeficient individuals. We describe here a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing murine interleukin-2 (IL-2) and show that athymic nude mice infected with the recombinant virus resolve the virus infection rapidly whereas mice infected with control virus develop a progressive vaccinal disease. By incorporating the gene for IL-2 in live virus vaccines it may be possible to prevent the severe complications that arise in recipients with an impaired immune system.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology*; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014765:Viral Vaccines