title: Characterization and immunogenicity of a candidate subunit vaccine against varicella-zoster virus.
abstract: This study describes the properties of an inactivated subunit antigen preparation from varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-infected MRC-5 cells by treatment with detergent and formaldehyde, ultracentrifugation over sucrose and acetone precipitation. The method preserved the antigenicity of VZV proteins and several VZV-specific glycoproteins, while virus DNA was less than 20 pg/250 micrograms protein--a putative vaccine dose. The vaccine was immunogenic in rabbits and stimulated antibodies to the major capsid protein as well as to glycoproteins; an immunoprecipitin was shared with a known immune human serum. The preparation contained no infectious VZV with no evidence of side effects in a rabbit or in five human vaccinees during a follow-up period of 6-10 years.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Research Foundation, Lapworth, Warwickshire, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hallworth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McLeish
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buchan
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Skinner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000628:therapy; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011817:Rabbits; D014611:Vaccination; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014709:Vero Cells; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines