title: Characterization of specific immune responses of mice inoculated with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing an 18-kilodalton outer membrane protein of Brucella abortus.
abstract: Using the shuttle vector pMCO2 and the vaccinia virus wild-type WR strain, we constructed a recombinant virus expressing an 18-kDa outer membrane protein of Brucella abortus. BALB/c mice inoculated with this virus produced 18-kDa protein-specific antibodies, mostly of immunoglobulin G2a isotype, and in vitro stimulation of splenocytes from these mice with purified maltose binding protein-18-kDa protein fusion resulted in lymphocyte proliferation and gamma interferon production. However, these mice were not protected against a challenge with the virulent strain B. abortus 2308. Disruption of the 18-kDa protein's gene in vaccine strain B. abortus RB51 did not affect either the strain's protective capabilities or its in vivo attenuation characteristics. These observations suggest that the 18-kDa protein plays no role in protective immunity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vemulapalli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cravero
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sriranganathan
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Schurig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008320:Maltose / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008320:Maltose; D007371:Interferon-gamma