Coxsackievirus B3 vaccines: use as an expression vector for prevention of myocarditis.
Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a member of the Picornaviridae family, is considered to be one of the most important infectious agents to cause virus-induced myocarditis. Despite improvements in studying virus pathology, structure and molecular biology, as well as the diagnosis of this disease, there is still no virus-specific drug or vaccine in clinical use. During the last 20 years many investigations have been performed to develop classic and modern immunization techniques against CVB3-induced heart disease. One promising approach among others includes the insertion of coding sequences of cytokines into the viral genome. The application of an IFN-gamma-expressing recombinant coxsackievirus vector is especially efficient against CVB3-induced myocarditis. Beside direct IFN-gamma-mediated antiviral effects, the local and simultaneous expression of IFN-gamma by the virus itself activates the immune system in a strong and long-lasting manner, which protects animals completely against subsequent lethal infections independently of the age of the immunized individual and the route of vaccine administration.
Henke
Andreas
A
Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy, Medical Center, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Street 2, Jena D-07745, Germany. i6hean@rz.uni-jena.de
Jarasch
Nadine
N
Wutzler
Peter
P
D000818:Animals; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C069261:interferon gamma (1-39); D007371:Interferon-gamma