SARS coronavirus spike protein protectively immunizes mice.

2004 JUL 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein expressed by attenuated vaccinia virus protectively immunizes mice.

"The spike protein (S), a membrane component of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is anticipated to be an important component of candidate vaccines. We constructed recombinant forms of the highly attenuated modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) containing the gene encoding full-length SARS-CoV S with and without a C-terminal epitope tag called MVA/S-HA and MVA/S, respectively. Cells infected with MVA/S or MVA/S-HA synthesized a 200-kDa protein, which was recognized by antibody raised against a synthetic peptide of SARS-CoV S or the epitope tag in Western blot analyses," scientists in the United States report.

"Further studies indicated that S was N-glycosylated and migrated in SDS polyacrylamide gels with an apparent mass of (approx)160 kDa after treatment with peptide N-glycosidase F," stated Himani Bisht and colleagues at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "The acquisition of resistance to endoglycosidase H indicated trafficking of S to the medial Golgi compartment, and confocal microscopy showed that S was transported to the cell surface. Intranasal or intramuscular inoculations of BALB/c mice with MVA/S produced serum antibodies that recognized the SARS S in ELISA and neutralized SARS-CoV in vitro."

"Moreover, MVA/S administered by either route elicited protective immunity, as shown by ...