Evaluation of rubella virus E2 and C proteins in protection against rubella virus in a mouse model.
An animal model is described that can provide further information for evaluating novel vaccines against rubella virus (RV). A group of mice was immunized with the lysate of insect cells infected by a recombinant baculovirus expressing E2 and C proteins of RV. Another group of mice was immunized with the RA27/3 rubella vaccine. After 2 weeks, both groups of mice were challenged intramuscularly with live RV and the blood was drawn after 8, 24, 48 and 72 h. The presence of rubella challenge virus in an unnatural host, such as the mouse, was monitored by RT-PCR. The mice immunized with the RA27/3 rubella vaccine were the only ones able to inhibit the challenge virus replication, E2 and C proteins, which alone are not sufficient to protect animals against RV, served as a negative control for a protective vaccine against RV that expresses E1 protein of RV.
Department of Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, Siena, Italy.
M G
MG
Cusi
M
M
Valassina
S
S
Bianchi
W
W
Wunner
P E
PE
Valensin
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D012411:Rubella Vaccine; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C074573:nucleocapsid protein (C), rubella virus; C061827:E2 envelope protein, Rubella virus