A fused gene of nucleoprotein (NP) and herpes simplex virus genes (VP22) induces highly protective immunity against different subtypes of influenza virus.
We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective activity of plasmid DNA vaccines encoding the influenza virus NP gene (pNP) alone or in combination with the herpes simplex virus type 1 protein 22 gene (pVP22). Optimal immune responses were observed in BALB/c mice immunized with the combination of pVP22 plus pNP, as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) and intracellular cytokine staining (ICCS). These mice also showed maximal resistance following challenge with the A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and A/Udron/72 (H3N2) strains of influenza virus. The susceptibility of immunized mice to virus infection was significantly increased following depletion of either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. These results indicate that a plasmid DNA vaccine encoding pVP22 plus NP induces a high level of cross-protective immunity against influenza virus subtypes.
Saha
Sukumar
S
Department of Molecular Biodefense Research, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan.
Yoshida
Shinsuke
S
Ohba
Kenji
K
Matsui
Kiyohiko
K
Matsuda
Tomoko
T
Takeshita
Fumihiko
F
Umeda
Kazunori
K
Tamura
Yuichi
Y
Okuda
Kentaro
K
Klinman
Dennis
D
Xin
Ke-Qin
KQ
Okuda
Kenji
K
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001835:Body Weight; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; C048842:NP protein, Influenza A virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C073413:herpes simplex virus type 1 protein VP22