Recombinant vaccinia viruses protect against Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin.
Recombinant vaccinia viruses that expressed the nontoxic C-domain of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin were constructed. The J2R (thymidine kinase [TK] gene) and B13R (serpin 2 [SPI-2] gene) loci were used as insertion sites for the clostridial DNA, and expression of the foreign protein was measured in each case. A double recombinant that encoded the alpha-toxin truncate at the B13R locus and the protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis at the J2R locus was also constructed. Although differences in expression of the alpha-toxin C-domain were recorded, all of the vaccinia recombinants protected mice against a lethal challenge with alpha-toxin demonstrating that a recombinant vaccinia virus can be used to provide protection against a toxin challenge that is known to be solely antibody mediated.
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom.
A M
AM
Bennett
T
T
Lescott
R J
RJ
Phillpotts
M
M
Mackett
R W
RW
Titball
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; C040649:alpha toxin, Clostridium perfringens