title: Protective immunity against herpes simplex virus generated by DNA vaccination compared to natural infection.
abstract: To evaluate the utility of plasmid DNA vaccination against disease caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), we compared the strength of protection against lethal challenge following natural virus infection with that following vaccination with a plasmid encoding HSV glycoprotein gD (gD-DNA). We further determined the cellular basis of each type of protection using lymphocyte deficient knockout mice. Establishment of immunity to HSV using live virus immunization required CD8+ T cells and B cells, but not CD4+ or gamma/delta+ T cells, and was related to specific antibody levels; surprisingly, CD4 knockout mice had large quantities of IgG anti-HSV serum antibodies. Establishment of immunity to HSV using gD-DNA immunization approached the strength of that generated following sublethal infection, but was dependent on alpha/beta+ CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, and even partially on gamma/delta+ T cells, and not strictly correlated with antibody levels.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of DNA Viruses, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Nass
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Elkins
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C039447:glycoprotein D, Human herpesvirus 1