Evaluation of a Recombinant Measles Virus as the Expression Vector of Hepatitis C Virus Envelope Proteins

Measles virus (MV) is a negative strand RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, and the attenuated Edmonston-B strain can be engineered by the reverse genetics system. Here we constructed the recombinant Edmonston strain of measles virus (MV-Ed) that expressed hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope proteins (rMV-E1E2). The rMV-E1E2 successfully expressed HCV E1 and E2 proteins. To evaluate its immunogenicity, NOD/Scid/Jak3null mice that were engrafted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (huPBMC-NOJ) were infected with this rMV-E1E2. Although human lymphocytes could be isolated from the spleens of mock-infected mice during the 2-weeks-long experiment, the proportion of mice that were infected with MV or rMV-E1E2 was decreased in a viral dose-dependent manner. Over 10 PFU of virus infection decreased the human PBL to less than 5%. Significant decrease of B cell population in human PBL from rMV-E1E2 infected NOD-SCID mice and decrease of T cell population in those from MV infected mice were observed. Human antibody production in these mice was also examined. Thus, the results in this study may contribute for future improvement of recombinant vaccine using measles virus vector.