Immune response to vaccinia virus recombinants expressing glycoproteins gE, gB, gH, and gL of Varicella-zoster virus

Immunogenicity of Varicella-zoster virus glycoproteins gE, gB, gH, and gL e xpressed by recombinant vaccinia Viruses (VV) separately or simultaneously was determined in mice and guinea pigs by ELISA, Western blotting, radioimm unoprecipitation, plaque reduction assay, and skin test. Single VV-SE and V V-SB recombinants and double VV-gH/gL recombinant elicited specific antibod ies with VZV neutralizing activity in mice. Go-expression of gE and gB by o ne recombinant VV resulted in an increased antibody response in comparison with immunization with single recombinants or their mixtures. Unlike anti-g B and anti-gH/gL antibodies, the gE-specific antibodies had no virus neutra lizing activity in absence of complement, and when used alone, they even ca used considerable increase of VZV infectious units. Moreover, immune sera c ontaining anti-gE antibodies antagonized complement independent virus-neutr alizing activity of anti-gB- and anti-gH/gL-positive sera. The ability to i nduce delayed hypersensitivity reaction to VZV antigens was observed after immunization of guinea pigs with gE- and/or gB-expressing VVs. (C) 2001 Aca demic Press.