AIDS virus vaccines using sendai virus vector

Abstract

The present invention provides a vaccine containing a Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus. By intranasally administering a Sendai virus encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus to a macaque monkey, the present inventors have succeeded in efficiently inducing protective immunity against an immunodeficiency virus. As a result of intranasal inoculation of vaccine, expression of an antigen protein mediated by Sendai virus vector was detected in intranasal mucous membrane and local lymph nodes and antigen-specific cellular immune response was induced at a significant level. No pathological symptom by vaccination was observed. After vaccination, exposure of simian immunodeficiency virus was performed and the effect was examined. As a result, the amount of virus in plasma significantly decreased, compared with that of the control animal. The present invention provides a promising vaccine as an AIDS vaccine.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vaccine comprising a Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus.  
     
     
         2 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the virus protein comprises Gag protein or a part of it.  
     
     
         3 . The vaccine of  claim 1 , wherein the Sendai virus vector is defective in V gene.  
     
     
         4 . The vaccine of  claim 2 , wherein the Sendai virus vector is defective in V gene.  
     
     
         5 . A method for vaccination, the method comprising inoculating a vaccine comprising a Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the vaccine is inoculated by intranasal administration.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the vaccine is inoculated at least once in multiple vaccine inoculation.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the vaccine is inoculated at least once in multiple vaccine inoculation.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method comprises the steps of (a) inoculating a DNA vaccine and then (b) inoculating the Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method comprises the steps of (a) inoculating a DNA vaccine and then (b) inoculating the Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus.  
     
     
         11 . A method for inducing cellular immune response specific to a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus, the method comprising the steps of (a) introducing a Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus into an antigen presenting cell and (b) contacting the antigen presenting cell with a T helper cell and a cytotoxic T cell.