Open AccessReplication and Propagation of Attenuated Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vectors In Vivo: Vector Spread Correlates with Induction of Immune Responses and Persistence of Genomic RNA
Author(s) -
Ian D. Simon,
Jean Publicover,
John K. Rose
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.02525-06
Subject(s) - vesicular stomatitis virus , biology , virology , immune system , rhabdoviridae , vesicular stomatitis indiana virus , vector (molecular biology) , viral replication , vesicular stomatitis , rna , virus , immunology , gene , genetics , recombinant dna
Live-attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors expressing foreign antigens induce potent immune responses and protect against viral diseases in animal models. Highly attenuated (VSV-CT1) or single-cycle VSV (VSVΔG) vectors induce immune responses lower than those generated by attenuated wild-type VSV vectors when given intranasally. We show here that reduced spread of the more highly attenuated or single-cycle vectors to other organs, including lymph nodes, correlates with the reduction in the immune responses. A reverse transcription, real-time PCR assay for VSV genomic RNA (gRNA) sequences showed long-term persistence of gRNA from replicating vectors in lymph nodes, long after viral clearance. Such persistence may be important for induction of potent immune responses by VSV vectors.