Baculovirus-Based Vaccines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a recombinant baculovirus comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a foreign virus envelope protein; (b) a first promoter operatively linked to the envelope-encoding nucleotide sequence; (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding an antigen protein; and (d) a second promoter operatively linked to the antigen-encoding nucleotide sequence; and a vaccine composition using the same. The recombinant baculovirus of the present invention has an excellent efficacy on both humoral and cellular immune responses against a specific antigen (e.g., HPV L1), enabling to function as a more efficient DNA vaccine.

1 . A recombinant baculovirus comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a foreign virus envelope protein derived from a retrovirus; (b) a first promoter operatively linked to the envelope-encoding nucleotide sequence; (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding an antigen protein; and (d) a second promoter operatively linked to the antigen-encoding nucleotide sequence. 
     
     
         2 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises a viral antigen, a bacterial antigen, a parasitic antigen or a cancer antigen. 
     
     
         3 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 2 , wherein the antigen comprises the viral antigen selected from the group consisting of HPV (human papillomavirus) antigen, HBV (hepatitis B virus) antigen, HCV (hepatitis C virus) antigen, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) antigen, rotavirus antigen, influenza virus antigen, HSV (herpes simplex virus) antigen, avian influenza virus antigen, hog cholera virus antigen, foot-and-mouth disease virus antigen and Newcastle disease virus antigen. 
     
     
         4 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 3 , wherein the antigen is HPV antigen. 
     
     
         5 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 4 , wherein the antigen comprises HPV L1, L2, E6 or E7 protein. 
     
     
         6 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 4 , wherein the HPV antigen protein is derived from HPV selected from the group consisting of HPV type 1, 2, 3a, 4, 5, 6b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11a, 12, 13, 16 and 18. 
     
     
         7 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 1 , wherein the virus envelope protein comprises a HERV (human endogenous retrovirus) envelope protein. 
     
     
         10 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 9 , wherein a nucleotide sequence encoding the HERV envelope protein comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         11 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first promoter is a promoter operable in insect cells. 
     
     
         12 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 11 , wherein the promoter operable in insect cells comprises IE-1 promoter, IE-2 promoter, p35 promoter, p10 promoter, gp64 promoter or polyhedrin promoter. 
     
     
         13 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second promoter is a promoter derived from a genome of a mammalian cell, or a promoter derived from a mammalian virus. 
     
     
         14 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 13 , wherein the second promoter comprises U6 promoter, H1 promoter, CMV (cytomegalo virus) promoter, adenovirus late promoter, vaccinia virus 7.5K promoter, SV40 promoter, HSV tk promoter, RSV promoter, human elongation factor 1α (hEF1α) promoter, methallothionein promoter, β-actin promoter, human IL-2 gene promoter, human IFN gene promoter, human IL-4 gene promoter, human lymphotoxin gene promoter, human GM-CSF gene promoter, TERT promoter, PSA promoter, PSMA promoter, CEA promoter, E2F promoter, AFP promoter or albumin promoter. 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for inducing an immune response against a specific antigen in a subject, comprising administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of the vaccine composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the recombinant baculovirus in the vaccine composition comprises a HPV (human papillomavirus) antigen gene, and the method is a method for preventing or treating a HPV infection-induced cancer. 
     
     
         19 . A nucleic acid molecule encoding a HERV (human endogenous retrovirus) envelope protein, comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         20 . The recombinant baculovirus according to  claim 1 , wherein the retrovirus is an endogenous retrovirus.