Replication and propagation of attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus vectors in vivo: vector spread correlates with induction of immune responses and persistence of genomic RNA.
Live-attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors expressing foreign antigens induce potent immune responses and protect against viral diseases in animal models. Highly attenuated (VSV-CT1) or single-cycle VSV (VSVDeltaG) vectors induce immune responses lower than those generated by attenuated wild-type VSV vectors when given intranasally. We show here that reduced spread of the more highly attenuated or single-cycle vectors to other organs, including lymph nodes, correlates with the reduction in the immune responses. A reverse transcription, real-time PCR assay for VSV genomic RNA (gRNA) sequences showed long-term persistence of gRNA from replicating vectors in lymph nodes, long after viral clearance. Such persistence may be important for induction of potent immune responses by VSV vectors.
Simon
Ian D
ID
Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Publicover
Jean
J
Rose
John K
JK
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000502:physiology; D007114:Immunization; D007272:Injections, Intralymphatic; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013997:Time Factors; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral