Expression and processing of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp160 using the vesicular stomatitis virus New
Kunyu Wu1, Gyoung Nyoun Kim1, C Yong Kang1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Siebens-Drake Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6G 2V4, Canada.
Abstract:
The Indiana serotype of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV(IND)), but not the New Jersey serotype (VSV(NJ)), has been widely used as a gene expression vector. In terms of prime-boost-based vaccine strategies, it would be desirable to use two different VSV serotypes to avoid immunity against the priming viral vector. Here, we report that we have applied the VSV(NJ) vector system for expression of the env gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The HIV-1 env gene was inserted into the VSV(NJ) vector system at two different sites: between the P and M genes (NP-gp160-MGL) and between the G and L genes (NPMG-gp160-L). The HIV-1 env gene product, gp160, was efficiently expressed and processed in cells infected with either of these two recombinant VSV-HIV-1(gp160) viruses. In this study, we have investigated the applicability of the VSV(NJ) vector system for foreign gene expression.
