title: Intrahepatic genetic inoculation of hepatitis C virus RNA confers cross-protective immunity.
abstract: Naturally occurring hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has long been thought to induce a weak immunity which is insufficient to protect an individual from subsequent infections and has cast doubt on the ability to develop effective vaccines. A series of intrahepatic genetic inoculations (IHGI) with type 1a HCV RNA were performed in a chimpanzee to determine whether a form of genetic immunization might stimulate protective immunity. We demonstrate that the chimpanzee not only developed protective immunity to the homologous type 1a RNA after rechallenge by IHGI but was also protected from chronic HCV infection after sequential rechallenge with 100 50% chimpanzee infectious doses of a heterologous type 1a (H77) and 1b (HC-J4) whole-virus inoculum. These results offer encouragement to pursue the development of HCV vaccines.
authors: Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, California 94608, USA. amy_weiner@chiron.com
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Weiner
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Paliard
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Selby
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Medina-Selby
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Coit
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nguyen
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kansopon
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Arian
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ng
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Tucker
authors: C T
authors: CT
authors: Lee
authors: N K
authors: NK
authors: Polakos
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Han
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Wong
authors: H H
authors: HH
authors: Lu
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rosenberg
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Brasky
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Chien
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Kuo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Houghton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003429:Cross Reactions; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral