EARLY STUDIES ON DNA-BASED IMMUNIZATIONS FOR MEASLES-VIRUS

DNA-mediated immunizations have been used to raise neutralizing antibo dies for measles virus. Single inoculations of plasmids expressing mea sles hemaggluttinin or fusion glycoproteins raised neutralizing antibo dy in BALB/c mice. Plasmids expressing the hemagglutinin glycoprotein (both normal and secreted) raised neutralizing responses that persiste d for 1 year. For both forms of hemagglutinin, the effectiveness of th e raised antibody (ratio of neutralizing activity to ELISA activity) w as similar. High titers of neutralizing antibody were also raised by i noculation of rabbits with the hemagglutinin and fusion glycoprotein-e xpressing plasmids. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.