Intramuscular immunization with plasmid DNA-encoding glycoprotein B completely protected 80% of mice against HSV infection, with immunity principally mediated by CD4+ T cells.
Does genetic immunization with plasmid DNA-encoding glycoprotein B protect against herpes simplex virus infection in a mouse model?
Genetic immunization with plasmid DNA encoding HSV glycoprotein B provides robust protection against HSV in a mouse model, primarily mediated by Th1-type CD4+ T lymphocytes.
Plasmid DNA encoding proteins represent a convenient novel approach to vaccination. We have investigated this "genetic immunization" approach as a means to protect against herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection using a mouse zosteriform model that mimics several aspects of reactivated HSV infection of humans. After i.m. immunization with plasmid DNA-encoding glycoprotein B (gB), (pc-gB), 80% of BALB/c mice were completely protected and lesions were delayed in the remaining animals. Upon pc-gB vaccination, the animals developed both gB- and HSV-specific IgG Ab response and the isotype examination revealed a predominance of IgG2a. These mice also have low levels (1/16) of HSV-neutralizing Abs. Immune splenocytes obtained from pc-gB-immunized mice, when restimulated in vitro with HSV resulted in production of type 1 cytokines. Evidence for CD(8+)-mediated cytotoxic T lymphocyte response was equivocal. Protection could be adoptively transferred to nude mice recipients by CD4+ T cells from pc-gB-immunized mice but not by CD8+ T cells. Our results demonstrate that genetic immunization is a potent means of inducing protection against HSV and that the mechanism of immunity responsible for clearing virus from cutaneous sites is principally by CD4+ T cells. It is likely that these cells are Th1 cells because type 1 cytokines were the major cytokines detected upon in vitro Ag stimulation.
Manickan et al. (Sat,) conducted a other in Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Plasmid DNA-encoding glycoprotein B (pc-gB) was evaluated on Complete protection against HSV infection. Intramuscular immunization with plasmid DNA-encoding glycoprotein B completely protected 80% of mice against HSV infection, with immunity principally mediated by CD4+ T cells.