VACCINATING GUINEA-PIGS WITH RECOMBINANT GLYCOPROTEIN-D OF HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS IN AN EFFICACIOUS ADJUVANT FORMULATION ELICITS PROTECTION AGAINST VAGINAL INFECTION

Guinea pigs were immunized with glycoprotein gD-2t in SAF-m or saline, then challenged with herpes simplex virus, type 2 (HSV-2). Animals gi ven gD-2t in SAF-m had higher anti-gD-2t antibodies, fewer and less se vere vaginal lesions, and decreased ganglionic latency compared to ani mals given gD-2t in saline. Leucocytes from animals vaccinated with gD -2t in SAF-m had greater proliferative responses to gD-2t in vitro tha n cells from control animals. MHC II-restricted, gD-2t-specific cytoto xic T cells were induced in guinea pigs vaccinated with gD-2t in SAF-m . Thus, immunization of guinea pigs with gD-2t in SAF-m markedly reduc ed the incidence and severity of primary, HSV-2 by eliciting both humo ral and cell-mediated responses.