title: Expression of the B-cell and T-cell epitopes of the rabies virus nucleoprotein in Mycobacterium bovis BCG and induction of an humoral response in mice.
abstract: Expression vectors containing rabies virus nucleoprotein B-cell and T-cell epitopes in Mycobacterium bovis BCG were constructed. The epitopes were subcloned into the M. leprae 18-kDa gene to ensure correct presentation to the host immune system. Expression of the 18-kDa::B+T epitope fusion protein was driven by either the hsp60 promoter, which is constitutively activated at a high level in M. bovis BCG, or the 18-kDa promoter, which is strongly induced in vivo. Mice were immunised intra-peritoneally with the recombinant BCG cultures and compared to a control group vaccinated with the commercial rabies vaccine Rai-SAD. Both of the expression vectors elicited a higher antibody titre than that of the rabies vaccine, with the highest response shown by M. bovis BCG (pUP203), expression controlled by the 18-kDa promoter. Immunisation with M. bovis BCG (pUP202), expression controlled by the hsp60 promoter, resulted in a continuously increasing antibody titre up to 60 days post immunisation. The mice antibodies were also capable of recognising the whole rabies virus and not only the synthetic peptide epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biotechnology, University of Pelotas, P.O. Box 354, CEP: 96001, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Conceição
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Dellagostin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C099601:nucleocapsid protein, Rabies virus