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Title: DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSGENIC ALFALFA PLANTS CONTAINING THE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS STRUCTURAL POLYPROTEIN GENE P1 AND ITS UTILIZATION AS AN EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOGEN

Author
item DUS SANTOS, M.J. - INTA, ARGENTINA
item Carrillo, Consuelo
item ARDILA, F. - INTA, ARGENTINA
item RIOS, R.D. - INTA, ARGENTINA
item FRANZONE, M.E. - INTA, ARGENTINA
item Piccone, Maria
item WIGDOROVITZ, A. - INTA, ARGENTINA
item Borca, Manuel

Submitted to: Vaccine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2004
Publication Date: 3/7/2005
Citation: Dus Santos, M., Carrillo, C., Ardila, F., Rios, R., Franzone, M., Piccone, M.E., Wigdorovitz, A., Borca, M.V. 2005. Development of Transgenic Alfalfa Plants Containing the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Structural Polyprotein Gene p1 and Its Utilization as an Experimental Immunogen. Vaccine.23(15): 1838-43.

Interpretive Summary: The report describes the use of transgenic plants of alfalfa as expression vector for the production of the polyprotein p1 of FMDV. The results showed the feasibility of expressing FMDV capside polypeptides in plants and its use as experimental vaccine in mice. It is shown that mice born of vaccinated presented a significant immune response and complete protection against the challenge with virulent rotavirus.

Technical Abstract: The use of transgenic plants as vectors for the expression of viral and bacterial antigens has been increasingly tested as an alternative methodology for the production of experimental vaccines. Here, we report the production of transgenic alfalfa plants containing the genes encoding for the polyprotein P1 and the protease 3C of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV). The immunogenicity of the expressed products was tested using a mouse experimental model. Parenterally immunized mice developed a strong antibody response detected by its reactivity, in ELISA, against a synthetic peptide representing the most immunogenic area of VP1 and purified FMDV particles and, in Western blot, against the native virus structural proteins, VP1, VP2 and VP3. Additionally, these mice were complete protected against the experimental challenge with the virulent virus. This report demonstrates the possibility of using transgenic plants to express highly complex antigenic structures and its utilization as effective experimental immunogens.