Recombinant plasmid expressing a truncated dengue-2 virus E protein without co-expression of prM protein induces partial protection in mice.
A nucleic acid vaccine candidate against dengue-2 virus was constructed to express a truncated dengue-2 E glycoprotein without concomitant expression of prM. The truncated E protein was properly expressed even in the absence of prM. Mice inoculated intramuscularly with the recombinant plasmid containing 94% of the E gene did not respond with anti-dengue antibodies, cellular proliferation, or synthesis of cytokines by their lymphoid cells when stimulated with purified dengue-2 virus. However, protection was observed in 20% of the challenged mice immunized with this recombinant plasmid and the mice survived longer than the control group. The low percentage of protection might be explained by a weak activation of the immune system resulting from an imperfect secretion of E due to lack of the prM protein. This study corroborates with the hypothesis that prM is important for the processing of the E glycoprotein and should be incorporated on candidate vaccines engineered by recombinant DNA technology.
Ocazionez Jimenez
R
R
Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Lopes da Fonseca
B A
BA
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003715:Dengue / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; C051821:E-glycoprotein, Dengue virus type 2; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C074932:prM protein, Flavivirus