Scientific publications
Vaccination with an adenoviral vector encoding hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protein protects against infection with HCV-recombinant vaccinia virus. Scientific Publication
Arribillaga L, de Cerio AL, Sarobe P, Casares N, Gorraiz M, Vales A, Bruna-Romero O, Borrás-Cuesta F, Paranhos-Baccala G, Prieto J, Ruiz J, Lasarte JJ.
Cellular immune response plays an important role in the clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Thus, development of efficient ways to induce anti-viral cellular immune responses is an important step toward prevention and/or treatment of HCV infection. With this aim, we have constructed a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus expressing HCV NS3 protein (RAdNS3). The efficacy of RAdNS3 was tested in vivo by measuring the protection against infection with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing HCV-polyprotein (vHCV1-3011).
Immunisation with 10(9)pfu of RAdNS3 induced anti-NS3 humoral, T helper and T cytotoxic responses. We identified eight epitopes recognised by IFN-gamma producing cells, five of them exhibiting lytic activity. Moreover, we show that RAdNS3 immunised mice were protected against challenge with vHCV1-3011 and that this protection was mediated by CD8(+) cells.
In conclusion, our results suggest that adenoviral vectors encoding NS3 might be useful for the induction of prophylactic and/or therapeutic anti-HCV immunity.
CITATION Vaccine. 2002 Dec 13;21(3-4):202-10. doi: 10.1016/s0264-410x(02)00456-5