Immunization with a single extracellular enveloped virus protein produced in bacteria provides partial protection from a lethal orthopoxvirus infection in a natural host.
Subunit vaccines that use the vaccinia virus extracellular envelope protein A33R alone or combined with other structural proteins are excellent candidates for a new smallpox vaccine. Since a new smallpox vaccine would be used in humans, who are the natural hosts for the Orthopoxvirus variola, the agent of smallpox, it would be important to determine whether a prospective smallpox vaccine can protect from a lethal Orthopoxvirus infection in a natural host. We addressed this question using the mouse-specific Orthopoxvirus ectromelia virus. We demonstrate that immunization with recombinant ectromelia virus envelope protein EVM135 or its ortholog vaccinia virus A33R produced in E. coli protects susceptible mice from a lethal ectromelia virus infection. This is the first report that a subunit vaccine can provide protection to a lethal Orthopoxvirus infection in its natural host.
Fang
Min
M
Program of Viral Pathogenesis, Division of Basic Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA.
Cheng
Hong
H
Dai
Zhongping
Z
Bu
Zimei
Z
Sigal
Luis J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004481:Ectromelia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D004482:Ectromelia, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
C446940:A33R protein, Vaccinia virus; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines