Aki Mayumi

A novel strategy for converting recombinant viral protein into high immunogenic antigen

Interleukin 2 (IL‐2) is a lymphokine promoting immune response and therefore has been investigated as an immunological adjuvant. In order to enhance the immunogenicity of recombinant viral protein, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) glycoprotein D (gD), we gentically created a fusion protein consisting of gD and human IL‐2. The fusion protein, without any other adjuvants, induced high antibody responses and cell‐mediated immunity to HSV‐1 in mice. Mice immunized with the fusion protein were protected against HSV‐1 infection. The results indicate that IL‐2‐fusing can provide a means for converting a weak immunogenic protein into a high immunogenic antigen, and the strategy would be widely applicable to the other antigens for pathogens.