Open AccessVaccinia virus recombinants expressing chimeric proteins of human immunodeficiency virus and gamma interferon are attenuated for nude mice.
Author(s) -
Luis D. Giavedoni,
Leslie A. Jones,
Murray B. Gardner,
Helen L. Gibson,
Chun Ting Lee Ng,
Philip J. Barr,
Tilahun Yilma
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.89.8.3409
Subject(s) - vaccinia , orthopoxvirus , virology , biology , immunogen , virus , poxviridae , fusion protein , interferon , interferon gamma , fusion gene , recombinant dna , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , gene , immune system , immunology , monoclonal antibody , biochemistry
We have developed a method for attenuating vaccinia virus recombinants by expressing a fusion protein of a lymphokine and an immunogen. Chimeric genes were constructed that coded for gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and structural proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In this study, we describe the biological and immunological properties of vaccinia virus recombinants expressing chimeric genes of murine or human IFN-gamma with glycoprotein gp120, gag, and a fragment of gp41. All fusion proteins retained the antigenic characteristics of both IFN-gamma and HIV as shown by immunoblot analysis. However, the antiviral activity of IFN-gamma could be demonstrated only for the IFN-gamma-gag fusion protein. In contrast, the attenuating activity of IFN-gamma for nude mice was retained by all of the recombinants, albeit at various rates. Unlike the antiviral activity, the attenuating activity of IFN-gamma was not species specific. Implications for the development of attenuated live recombinant vaccines for AIDS are discussed.