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


METHODS
Plasmid containing gD-IL-2 (pHDLneo1) was constructed, and gD-IL-2 peptide was purified. BALB/c mice were injected hypodermally or subconjunctivally twice with 1 microg/0.1 mL of gD-IL-2 peptide, or subconjunctivally twice with 90 microg/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 into the cornea. Clinical manifestations of the epithelial and stromal keratitis were scored.


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


CONCLUSIONS
Vaccination with gD-IL-2 was effective against murine herpetic keratitis.
Inoue
Tomoyuki
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
Inoue
Yoshitsugu
Y
Nakamura
Takao
T
Yoshida
Atsushi
A
Inoue
Yumiko
Y
Tano
Yasuo
Y
Shimomura
Yoshikazu
Y
Fujisawa
Yukio
Y
Aono
Aki
A
Hayashi
Kozaburo
K
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C039447:glycoprotein D, Human herpesvirus 1