Immunologic and Genetic Selection of Adenovirus Vaccine Strains: Synthesis and Characterization of Adenovirus Antigens

摘要

The research supported during the tenure of this contract has producted data that described the major components of the adenovirus capsid. These capsid proteins were purified, their immunological properties were defined, and the hexon was identified as the predominant antigen that induces neutralizing antibodies. The hexon was crystalized, its polypeptide structure characterized, and the antibodies directed against the hexon polypeptides were shown not to react with native hexons. Conditionally lethal, temperature-sensitive mutants of type 5 adenovirus were isolated, characterized, and studied to reveal essential features of formation of the capsomers and the assembly of the virions. Temperature-sensitive mutants of type 7 adenovirus were isolated from the accepted Armed Forces vaccine strain, and they were characterized to identify a mutant to serve as a better prototype vaccine strain. A mutant in the IIIa protein gene was considered the best ts Ad7 virus as a candidate vaccine straine since infection with it produced normal amounts of hexons without formation of infectious virus at the non-permissive temperature. Final characterization of the ideal virus for use in a vaccine was interrupted by cancellation of this contract.