MUCOSAL IMMUNITY AND PROTECTION AFTER INTRANASAL IMMUNIZATION WITH RECOMBINANT ADENOVIRUS EXPRESSING HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS GLYCOPROTEIN-B

A recombinant adenovirus (Ad) expressing glycoprotein B (gB) of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 (AdgB8) was evaluated as a mucosal vaccine candidate. When administered intranasally (inl) to C57B1/6 mice, AdgB 8 induced levels of serum anti-HSV gB IgG antibodies similar to those of mice immunized intraperitoneally (ip), which neutralized both HSV-1 and -2. Mice immunized inl with AdgB8 produced secretory IgA specific for HSV gB, but mice immunized ip did not. Splenic anti-HSV cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were observed after inl and ip immunization; howe ver, there was a time-dependent decrease in the anti-HSV CTL activity from spleens of inl immunized mice. Anti-HSV CTL were also present in the mediastinal lymph nodes after inl but not ip AdgB8 immunization. F urthermore, mice immunized inl with AdgB8 were protected against heter ologous inl challenge with HSV-2, and this protection lasted longer th an in ip-immunized mice. These results indicate that mucosal immunizat ion with a recombinant adenovirus can induce mucosal and systemic immu ne responses and provide long-term protection from mucosally or sexual ly transmitted viruses.