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. 1991 Jun;59(6):1961–1965. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.6.1961-1965.1991

Protection against anthrax with recombinant virus-expressed protective antigen in experimental animals.

L C Iacono-Connors 1, S L Welkos 1, B E Ivins 1, J M Dalrymple 1
PMCID: PMC257950  PMID: 1903769

Abstract

We previously described the cloning and expression of the protective antigen (PA) gene of Bacillus anthracis in both vaccinia virus and a baculovirus. The antigenicity of the PA products was characterized. PA expressed by the recombinant vaccinia viruses elicited a partial protective immune response against a lethal B. anthracis spore challenge in guinea pigs and mice. The WR strain vaccinia virus recombinant (WR-PA) protected 60% of male mice and 50% of guinea pigs. WR-PA elicited high anti-PA antibody titers in mice but not in guinea pigs. Connaught strain vaccinia virus recombinants failed to protect any immunized animals. PA purified from baculovirus recombinant-infected cultures plus adjuvant partially protected male CBA/J mice and completely protected female Hartley guinea pigs from challenge. Both the recombinant and nonrecombinant PA preparations combined with adjuvant elicited high anti-PA antibody titers in Hartley guinea pigs and CBA/J mice. These data demonstrate that the recombinant baculovirus- and vaccinia virus-produced PAs were immunogenic in both guinea pigs and mice, that the baculovirus-PA recombinant was a useful source of immunogenic PA, and that vaccinia virus-PA recombinants may be feasible live anthrax vaccine candidates worthy of consideration for further development as live vaccines.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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