Evaluation of a dominant-negative recombinant herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 as a vaccine against genital herpes in mice und guinea pigs

Abstract

Genital herpes caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Currently, no safe and effective vaccine against HSV is available. CJ9-gD is a completely replication-defective HSV-1 recombinant which inhibits replication of wild-type HSV-1/-2 in co-infected cells (dominant-negative effect). Moreover, it expresses high levels of HSV-1 major antigen glycoprotein D (gD). Immunization with CJ9-gD induces strong and long-lasting humoral and Th1-like cellular immune responses against both HSV-1 and HSV-2 in mice protecting immunized animals significantly against genital challenge with HSV-1 or HSV-2. Guinea pigs immunized with CJ9-gD were significantly protected against primary and recurrent HSV-2 genital disease and latent infection.