title: Nucleocapsid-like particles of dengue-2 virus enhance the immune response against a recombinant protein of dengue-4 virus.
abstract: In this study, we evaluate in mice a novel formulation containing nucleocapsid-like particles of dengue-2 virus (recNLP) co-immunized with a chimeric protein composed of the dengue-4 envelope domain III fused twice within the meningococcal P64k protein of Neisseria meningitidis (PD24). The animals receiving the PD24-recNLP mixture showed the highest levels of antiviral antibodies. Similar results were obtained for IFNγ secretion levels, indicating a functional Th1 cellular response. Consistently, the percentage of mice surviving after viral challenge was significantly higher for those immunized with the mixture than for those inoculated with PD24 protein alone. In addition, in vivo depletion experiments demonstrated the decisive role of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in the protection conferred by immunization with PD24-recNLP. In conclusion, this report demonstrates for the first time the adjuvant capacity of dengue-2 virus recNLP. Additionally, the evidence presented highlights the potential of these particles for enhancing the immune response against heterologous recombinant proteins.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana 6, Cuba. laura.lazo@cigb.edu.cu
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazo
authors.forename: Lázaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valdes
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Mayling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Aracelys
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Yaremis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Falcon
authors.forename: María G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guillén
authors.forename: Lisset
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hermida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003715:Dengue / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053059:Dengue Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D053059:Dengue Vaccines; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C112623:lpdA protein, Neisseria meningitidis; D007371:Interferon-gamma