Bovine herpes virus gD protein produced in plants using a recombinant tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) vector possesses authentic antigenicity.

PEREZ-FIGUEIRA; ZAMORANO; DOMINGUEZ; TABOGA; DEL MEDICO; PUNTEL; ROMERA; MORRIS; BORCA; SADIR

VACCINE

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Año: 2003 p. 4201 - 4209

0264-410X

A tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based vector was utilized for expression of a cytosolic form of the bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1)protein glycoprotein D (gDc). Nicotiana benthamiana plants were harvested 7 days after inoculation with RNA transcripts derived fromthe TMV-gDc recombinant virus. Recombinant gDc protein of expected electrophoretic mobility accumulated in inoculated leaves toa concentration of about 20g/g of fresh leaf tissue. Oil-based vaccines were formulated with crude foliar extracts to immunize miceparentally. After a single injection, animals developed a sustained and specific response to both the isolated gD and native virus particles.Cattle vaccinated with the same gDc containing extracts developed specific humoral and cellular immune responses directed against boththe viral gD and BHV-1 particles. Most importantly, animals vaccinated with the plant-produced gDc showed good levels of protectionafter challenge with the virulent BHV-1. Virus excretion was drastically reduced in these animals, reaching levels comparable to animalsvaccinated with a commercial BHV-1 vaccine. The positive immunological characterization obtained for the gDc, indicated that animportant part of the natural conformation was retained in the plant recombinant protein.