RESUMO
A recombinant rubella virus E1 (rE1) glycoprotein was produced and some of its chemical and immunological features were characterized. Two animal models were then used to establish that the rE1 glycoprotein and rubella virus particles shared antigenic and immunogenic properties. In the first one, sera from rE1 glycoprotein-immunized BALB/c mice neutralized in vitro rubella virus infection. In the second model, severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice implanted with tonsil fragments from rubella immune donors and immunized with rE1 glycoprotein produced human anti-rubella virus antibodies. Altogether, these results showed that immunization with rE1 glycoprotein elicited neutralizing anti-rubella virus antibodies. This study thus indicated that the rE1 glycoprotein could constitute a non-replicating rubella vaccine.
Assuntos
Vacina contra Rubéola/imunologia , Rubéola (Sarampo Alemão)/prevenção & controle , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/imunologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Antígenos Virais/administração & dosagem , Antígenos Virais/genética , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Chlorocebus aethiops , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos SCID , Testes de Neutralização , Tonsila Palatina/imunologia , Rubéola (Sarampo Alemão)/imunologia , Vacina contra Rubéola/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Sintéticas/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Sintéticas/genética , Vacinas Sintéticas/imunologia , Células Vero , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/administração & dosagem , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/genéticaRESUMO
Chemokines constitute an expanding protein family of over 40 members which exhibit a wide variety of biological activities and are involved in many normal physiological processes, such as cellular migration, differentiation and activation, but also in pathological situations, such as inflammation and metastasis. Over the last few years, we have developed methods to manufacture long synthetic peptides of up to 130 residues, and to achieve the formation of native-like cysteine pairings. This ability prompted us to undertake the total chemical synthesis of chemokines. So far, we have successfully produced over 30 chemokine species, which exhibit biological activities similar to, or greater than, those reported by others. Chemical synthesis offers a clear advantage over recombinant technologies for the introduction of fluorochromes and haptens at molecularly defined positions. In addition, approval of chemically synthesized products for use in humans is straightforward compared with material produced by biological methods.
