A sindbis virus replicon-based DNA vaccine encoding the rabies virus glycoprotein elicits immune responses and complete protection in mice from lethal challenge.
A sindbis virus replicon-based DNA vaccine encoding rabies virus glycoprotein (G) was developed by subcloning rabies G gene into a sindbis virus replicon-based vaccine vector (pAlpha). The self-amplification of RNA transcripts and translation efficiency of rabies G was analyzed in pAlpha-Rab-G-transfected mammalian cells using RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The transfected cells also showed induction of apoptosis which is an important event in the enhancement of immune responses. Further, immune responses induced with replicon-based rabies DNA vaccine (pAlpha-Rab-G) was compared with conventional rabies DNA vaccine and commercial cell culture vaccine (Rabipur) in intramuscularly injected mice. The mice immunized with replicon-based rabies DNA vaccine induced humoral and cell mediated immune responses better than conventional rabies DNA vaccine however, comparable to Rabipur vaccine. On challenge with rabies virus CVS strain, replicon-based rabies DNA vaccine conferred complete protection similar to Rabipur. These results demonstrate that replicon-based rabies DNA vaccine is effective in inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses and can be considered as effective vaccine against rabies.
Saxena
Sonal
S
Division of Animal Biotechnology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar 243122, India.
Dahiya
Shyam S
SS
Sonwane
Arvind A
AA
Patel
Chhabi Lal
CL
Saini
Mohini
M
Rai
A
A
Gupta
Praveen K
PK
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000276:immunology*; D012093:Replicon; D012845:Sindbis Virus / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C064951:glycoprotein G, Rabies virus