[The effect of immunization with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D fused with interluekin-2 against murine herpetic keratitis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of vaccination with fusion protein(gD-IL-2) consisting of herpes simplex type1(HSV-1) glycoprotein D(gD) and human interleukin-2(IL-2), and the effect of plasmid DNA vaccine encoding gD-IL-2 against murine herpetic keratitis.


METHODS
Plasmid containing gD-IL-2(pHDL-neol) was constructed, and gD-IL-2 peptide was purified. BALB/c mice were injected twice hypodermally or subconjunctivally with 1 microgram/0.1 ml of gD-IL-2 peptide, or twice subconjunctivally with 90 micrograms/0.05 ml of gD-IL-2 plasmid DNA. Neutralizing antibody titer and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) against HSV-1 were measured. Immunized mice were challenged with CHR3 strain of HSV-1 via the cornea. The clinical picture of epithelial and stromal keratitis was scored.


RESULTS
Stromal keratitis was inhibited in gD-IL-2 peptide- or gD-IL-2 DNA-immunized mice, but epithelial keratitis was not. It was confirmed that plasmid gD-IL-2 elicited significant serum virus neutralizing titer and DTH response.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaccination with gD-IL-2 was effective against herpetic keratitis.
Inoue
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
Inoue
Y
Y
Nakamura
T
T
Yoshida
A
A
Inoue
Y
Y
Tano
Y
Y
Shimomura
Y
Y
Fujisawa
Y
Y
Aono
A
A
Hayashi
K
K
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D014612:Vaccines; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C039447:glycoprotein D, Human herpesvirus 1