Immune responses induced by a BacMam system expressing the nucleoprotein of Influenza A virus in mice: model as a vaccine delivery.

CARGNELUTTI, DIEGO; SANCHEZ, VICTORIA; ALVAREZ, PAULA; MATTION, NORA; SCODELLER, EDUARDO

Viña del Mar, Chile

Congreso; 9th Latin American Congress of Immunology; 2009

ALAI 2009

Background: Influenza is one of the most important respiratory pathogens worldwide. Vaccination is the best way to control the Influenza. Non-replicating baculovirus-mediated gene transfer into mammalian cells has been used as a vaccine strategy against a number of diseases. The use of Influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) as a vaccine antigen, stems from the fact that NP show less antigenic variation than the influenza virus surface glycoproteins, haemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The object of this work is to describe the production and use as a vaccine delivery of a BacMam-NP (baculovirus) expressing the NP of Influenza A virus, under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter. Method: Homologous prime and boost intramuscular vaccination of BALB/c mice, with 8x108 PFU of the recombinant baculovirus were administered 3 weeks apart. Serum samples were collected to test the title of NP-specific antibody levels by ELISA. Result: Immunized mice developed significant antibody responses, with titers of IgG between 800 and 1600. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the BacMam-NP virus vector can efficiently express the NP in vivo and induce immune response against influenza virus. This is a first step to demonstrate that this baculovirus can be a potential non-replicating vaccine delivery against influenza infection.