TY - JOUR
T1 - DNA immunization of mice against SIVmac239 gag and env using Rev- independent expression plasmids
AU - Indraccolo, Stefano
AU - Feroli, Fiorella
AU - Minuzzo, Sonia
AU - Mion, Marta
AU - Rosato, Antonio
AU - Zamarchi, Rita
AU - Titti, Fausto
AU - Verani, Paola
AU - Amadori, Alberto
AU - Chieco-Bianchi, Luigi
PY - 1998/1/1
Y1 - 1998/1/1
N2 - Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) structural gene expression, including gag and env, strictly depends on the interaction of the viral posttranscriptional regulator Rev with its target RNA, the Rev-responsive element (RRE). A small RNA element, termed the constitutive transport element (CTE), located in the 3' portion of simian retrovirus 1 (SRV-1) mRNA, can efficiently substitute for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Rev-RRE interaction, and thus render HIV expression and replication Rev independent. We tested the ability of the SRV-1 CTE to drive the expression of SIVmac239 env and gag from subgenomic constructs designed for possible use in vaccine trials. In vitro expression studies showed that when the SRV-1 sequence is coupled to the SIV gag and env mRNAs, it functions in an orientation- dependent fashion, and leads to strong expression of SIV Gag and Env in human and monkey cell lines; levels of CTE-mediated protein expression were similar to those obtained with a functional Rev-RRE system. On the other hand, in murine fibroblast-like cells, SIV Gag and Env were expressed from constructs at relatively high levels even in the absence of Rev-RRE; nevertheless, their expression was increased by the presence of the SRV-1 CTE. As reported previously for HIV, the murine cell lines appeared to be defective for Rev- RRE activity, and required overexpression of Rev to induce a Rev response. Intramuscular injection of the gag-CTE and env-CTE constructs in BALB/c mice resulted in the expression of the corresponding mRNAs, and the production of anti-Gag and anti-Env antibodies, thus suggesting that these vectors might be used for genetic immunization approaches.
AB - Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) structural gene expression, including gag and env, strictly depends on the interaction of the viral posttranscriptional regulator Rev with its target RNA, the Rev-responsive element (RRE). A small RNA element, termed the constitutive transport element (CTE), located in the 3' portion of simian retrovirus 1 (SRV-1) mRNA, can efficiently substitute for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Rev-RRE interaction, and thus render HIV expression and replication Rev independent. We tested the ability of the SRV-1 CTE to drive the expression of SIVmac239 env and gag from subgenomic constructs designed for possible use in vaccine trials. In vitro expression studies showed that when the SRV-1 sequence is coupled to the SIV gag and env mRNAs, it functions in an orientation- dependent fashion, and leads to strong expression of SIV Gag and Env in human and monkey cell lines; levels of CTE-mediated protein expression were similar to those obtained with a functional Rev-RRE system. On the other hand, in murine fibroblast-like cells, SIV Gag and Env were expressed from constructs at relatively high levels even in the absence of Rev-RRE; nevertheless, their expression was increased by the presence of the SRV-1 CTE. As reported previously for HIV, the murine cell lines appeared to be defective for Rev- RRE activity, and required overexpression of Rev to induce a Rev response. Intramuscular injection of the gag-CTE and env-CTE constructs in BALB/c mice resulted in the expression of the corresponding mRNAs, and the production of anti-Gag and anti-Env antibodies, thus suggesting that these vectors might be used for genetic immunization approaches.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031974904&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031974904&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9453255
AN - SCOPUS:0031974904
VL - 14
SP - 83
EP - 90
JO - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
JF - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
SN - 0889-2229
IS - 1
ER -