A Spread-Deficient Cytomegalovirus for Assessment of First-Target Cells in Vaccination

作者:Mohr Christian Andreas; Arapovic Jurica; Muehlbach Hermine; Panzer Marc; Weyn Annelies; Doelken Lars; Krmpotic Astrid; Voehringer David; Ruzsics Zsolt; Koszinowski Ulrich*; Sacher Torsten
来源:Journal of Virology, 2010, 84(15): 7730-7742.
DOI:10.1128/JVI.02696-09

摘要

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a human pathogen that causes severe disease primarily in the immunocompromised or immunologically immature individual. To date, no vaccine is available. We describe use of a spread-deficient murine CMV (MCMV) as a novel approach for betaherpesvirus vaccination. To generate a spread-deficient MCMV, the conserved, essential gene M94 was deleted. Immunization with MCMV-Delta M94 is apathogenic and protective against wild-type challenge even in highly susceptible IFN alpha beta R(-/-) mice. MCMV-Delta M94 was able to induce a robust CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell response as well as a neutralizing antibody response comparable to that induced by wild-type infection. Endothelial cells were identified as activators of CD8(+) T cells in vivo. Thus, the vaccination with a spread-deficient betaherpesvirus is a safe and protective strategy and allows the linkage between cell tropism and immunogenicity. Furthermore, genomes of MCMV-Delta M94 were present in lungs 12 months after infection, revealing first-target cells as sites of genome maintenance.

  • 出版日期2010-8