Immunological properties of a DNA plasmid encoding a chimeric protein of herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein B and glycoprotein D.
A DNA plasmid containing a chimeric sequence encoding both herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) glycoprotein B (gB) and glycoprotein D (gD) external domains (pcgDB) was used to immunize BALB/c mice against genital HSV-2 infection. To determine the efficacy of this vaccine, groups of mice immunized with the pcgDB plasmid were compared with animals immunized with plasmids corresponding to the individual proteins (pcgBt or pcgDt), administered separately or in combination (pcgBt + pcgDt). We studied the response of the different mouse groups to viral challenge by analyzing clinical disease (vaginitis), serum antibody levels, as well as lymphoproliferative responses and cytokine production by spleen cells. Increased IFN-gamma levels correlated with prolonged survival in mice immunized with the plasmid pcgDB, relative to mice immunized with plasmids coding for the individual proteins alone or in combination. Our results show that immunization with the plasmid encoding the chimeric protein is advantageous over separate proteins. These findings may have important implications for the development of multivalent DNA vaccines against HSV and other complex pathogens.
Domingo
C
C
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública (Microbiología), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28029, Spain.
Gadea
I
I
Pardeiro
M
M
Castilla
C
C
Fernández
S
S
Fernández-Clua
M A
MA
De la Cruz Troca
J J
JJ
Punzón
C
C
Soriano
F
F
Fresno
M
M
Tabarés
E
E
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D022301:Herpes Simplex Virus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014162:Transfection; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000821:virology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D022301:Herpes Simplex Virus Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C044525:glycoprotein B, herpes simplex virus type 2; C040570:glycoprotein D-herpes simplex virus type 2