The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Evaluation of the VP22 protein for enhancement of a DNA vaccine against anthrax

Evaluation of the VP22 protein for enhancement of a DNA vaccine against anthrax
Evaluation of the VP22 protein for enhancement of a DNA vaccine against anthrax
Background: Previously, antigens expressed from DNA vaccines have been fused to the VP22 protein from Herpes Simplex Virus type I in order to improve efficacy. However, the immune enhancing mechanism of VP22 is poorly understood and initial suggestions that VP22 can mediate intercellular spread have been questioned. Despite this, fusion of VP22 to antigens expressed from DNA vaccines has improved immune responses, particularly to non-secreted antigens.
Methods: In this study, we fused the gene for the VP22 protein to the gene for Protective Antigen (PA) from Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. Protective immunity against infection with B. anthracis is almost entirely based on a response to PA and we have generated two constructs, where VP22 is fused to either the N- or the C-terminus of the 63 kDa protease-cleaved fragment of PA (PA63).
Results: Following gene gun immunisation of A/J mice with these constructs, we observed no improvement in the anti-PA antibody response generated. Following an intraperitoneal challenge with 70 50% lethal doses of B. anthracis strain STI spores, no difference in protection was evident in groups immunised with the DNA vaccine expressing PA63 and the DNA vaccines expressing fusion proteins of PA63 with VP22.
Conclusion: VP22 fusion does not improve the protection of A/J mice against live spore challenge following immunisation of DNA vaccines expressing PA63.
1479-0556
Perkins, Stuart D.
488070a7-a460-48a7-8ae5-bd3f3d195226
Flick-Smith, Helen C.
fee4da3f-bd48-4e85-803f-9589fa942964
Garmory, Helen S.
ccf884a2-a30a-417e-b769-dfa130656380
Essex-Lopresti, Angela E.
c2309a6b-5bf7-44b3-bd53-d48181d5ea52
Stevenson, Freda K.
ba803747-c0ac-409f-a9c2-b61fde009f8c
Phillpotts, Robert J.
a39782ff-2696-48de-8cf5-08fe6b6578c8
Perkins, Stuart D.
488070a7-a460-48a7-8ae5-bd3f3d195226
Flick-Smith, Helen C.
fee4da3f-bd48-4e85-803f-9589fa942964
Garmory, Helen S.
ccf884a2-a30a-417e-b769-dfa130656380
Essex-Lopresti, Angela E.
c2309a6b-5bf7-44b3-bd53-d48181d5ea52
Stevenson, Freda K.
ba803747-c0ac-409f-a9c2-b61fde009f8c
Phillpotts, Robert J.
a39782ff-2696-48de-8cf5-08fe6b6578c8

Perkins, Stuart D., Flick-Smith, Helen C., Garmory, Helen S., Essex-Lopresti, Angela E., Stevenson, Freda K. and Phillpotts, Robert J. (2005) Evaluation of the VP22 protein for enhancement of a DNA vaccine against anthrax. Genetic Vaccines and Therapy, 3 (1). (doi:10.1186/1479-0556-3-3).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Previously, antigens expressed from DNA vaccines have been fused to the VP22 protein from Herpes Simplex Virus type I in order to improve efficacy. However, the immune enhancing mechanism of VP22 is poorly understood and initial suggestions that VP22 can mediate intercellular spread have been questioned. Despite this, fusion of VP22 to antigens expressed from DNA vaccines has improved immune responses, particularly to non-secreted antigens.
Methods: In this study, we fused the gene for the VP22 protein to the gene for Protective Antigen (PA) from Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. Protective immunity against infection with B. anthracis is almost entirely based on a response to PA and we have generated two constructs, where VP22 is fused to either the N- or the C-terminus of the 63 kDa protease-cleaved fragment of PA (PA63).
Results: Following gene gun immunisation of A/J mice with these constructs, we observed no improvement in the anti-PA antibody response generated. Following an intraperitoneal challenge with 70 50% lethal doses of B. anthracis strain STI spores, no difference in protection was evident in groups immunised with the DNA vaccine expressing PA63 and the DNA vaccines expressing fusion proteins of PA63 with VP22.
Conclusion: VP22 fusion does not improve the protection of A/J mice against live spore challenge following immunisation of DNA vaccines expressing PA63.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2005

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 26519
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/26519
ISSN: 1479-0556
PURE UUID: f7cee06e-d1c3-4463-958a-25b565c3b919
ORCID for Freda K. Stevenson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0933-5021

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Apr 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:54

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Stuart D. Perkins
Author: Helen C. Flick-Smith
Author: Helen S. Garmory
Author: Angela E. Essex-Lopresti
Author: Robert J. Phillpotts

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×