The ability of a DNA vaccine to elicit an immune response in a horse was ev
aluated. The outer capsid protein VP2 of African horsesickness virus is kno
wn to elicit protective immunity in horses. Reverse transcribed DNA of the
gene encoding VP2 was placed under the transcriptional control of the cytom
egalovirus immediate-early enhancer/promoter and was injected on several oc
casions intramuscularly into a horse. Low antibody levels could be detected
by ELISA. Antibodies directed against VP2 alone were shown by Western blot
while low levels of neutralizing antibodies were detected by a 50% plaque
reduction assay. In contrast to a relatively poor humoral response, a signi
ficant lymphoproliferative response in the presence of whole virus proteins
, as well as a cytotoxic cellular reaction against virus-infected syngeneic
target cells was shown.