Species-specificity of a murine immunocontraceptive utilising murine cytomegalovirus as a gene delivery vector

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 23; no. 23; pp. 2959 - 2969
• Main Authors: Smith, L.M., Lloyd, M.L., Harvey, N.L., Redwood, A.J., Lawson, M.A., Shellam, G.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 27.04.2005; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigen delivery; Antigens; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Contraception, Immunologic; Cytomegalovirus; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Egg Proteins - immunology; Embryos; Female; Fertility; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes; Genetic Vectors; Heparan sulfate; Immune response; Immunocontraception; Infections; Laboratories; Membrane Glycoproteins - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Murine cytomegalovirus; Muromegalovirus - genetics; Muromegalovirus - immunology; Pathogenesis; Population control; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Cell Surface - immunology; Rodents; Species Specificity; Spleen; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Virology; Virus Replication; Viruses; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; Antigen delivery; Species specificity; Immunocontraception; Virus; Antigen; Gene; Murine cytomegalovirus; Herpesviridae; Betaherpesvirinae; Vector
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2004.12.009

Cytomegaloviruses are species-specific DNA viruses. Recombinant murine cytomegaloviruse (MCMV) expressing the mouse egg-coat protein zona pellucida 3 (mZP3) has been shown to sterilise female mice by breaking self-tolerance and inducing an immune response against the host ZP3. This virus has the potential to be used for mouse population control, however the effect of this recombinant immunocontraceptive virus in non-host species must be determined. Recombinant MCMV-mZP3, based on both laboratory and wild strains of virus, induced long-lived antibody responses against structural viral proteins and mZP3 when inoculated into laboratory rats, although no viral DNA or replicating virus was identified. The anti-mZP3 antibodies were specific for mouse ZP3, did not cross-react with rat ZP3, and had no effect on the fertility of the rats.