IMMUNOGENICITY OF INFLUENZA AND HSV-1 MIXED ANTIGEN ISCOMS IN MICE

Immunostimulating complexes (ISCOMs) were prepared with mixtures of an tigens from influenza A virus (A/PR/8/34 or A/Sichuan/2/87) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and were characterised by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electron microscopy using double-labe lling immunogold techniques employing monoclonal antibodies to in infl uenza or HSV-1 glycoproteins. The immunogenicity of the mixed antigen ISCOMs was evaluated in mice, following administration by the subcutan eous route, by measuring the total and subclass IgG antibody responses . Protection of these animals against challenge with live influenza A/ Sichuan virus or live HSV-1,was compared with that induced by immuniza tion with aqueous mixed antigen preparations. It was found that relati vely high humoral responses to both influenza and HSV antigens, and in creased levels of protection to both influenza and HSV viruses were el icited in mice receiving the mixed antigen ISCOM preparation compared to those observed in animals receiving the mixed aqueous subunit prepa ration. The findings also indicate that antigens from more than one vi rus can be used in an ISCOM formulation to produce immunity and protec tion.