title: Chimeric derivatives of hepatitis B virus core particles carrying major epitopes of the rubella virus E1 glycoprotein.
abstract: Three variants of the major rubella virus (RV) E1 protein virus-neutralizing epitope from position 214 to 285 were exposed on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) C-terminally truncated core (HBcΔ) in a virus-like particle (VLP) vector and were produced in Escherichia coli. All three chimeras demonstrated VLPs in bacterial cell lysates, but only HBcΔ-E1(245-285) demonstrated the correct VLP structure after purification. The other chimeras, HBcΔ-E1(214-285) and HBcΔ-E1(214-240), appeared after purification as non-VLP aggregates of 100 to 900 nm in diameter according to dynamic light scattering data. All three variants possessed the intrinsic antigenic activity of RV E1, since they were recognized by natural human anti-RV E1 antibodies and induced an anti-RV E1 response in mice. HBcΔ-E1(214-240) and HBcΔ-E1(245-285) can be regarded as prototypes for a putative RV vaccine because they were able to induce antibodies recognizing natural RV E1 protein in RV diagnostic kits.
authors.affiliation: Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Dace
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skrastina
authors.forename: Ivars
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petrovskis
authors.forename: Rasa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petraityte
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sominskaya
authors.forename: Velta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ose
authors.forename: Ilva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lieknina
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bogans
authors.forename: Kestutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasnauskas
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pumpens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012411:Rubella Vaccine; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C061826:E1 envelope protein, Rubella virus