Evaluation of recombinant respiratory syncytial virus gene deletion mutants in African green monkeys for their potential as live attenuated vaccine candidates.

Towards the goal of developing live attenuated respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines to prevent severe respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus, recombinant RSV containing a deletion of single or multiple NS1, NS2, SH and M2-2 genes have been generated. In this study, recombinants, rA2DeltaM2-2, rA2DeltaNS2, rA2DeltaNS1NS2, rA2DeltaSHNS2, rA2DeltaM2-2NS2 were evaluated in African green monkeys (AGMs) for their infectivity, immunogenicity and protection against wild type (wt) RSV challenge. Replication of rA2DeltaNS2 and rA2DeltaSHNS2 was not attenuated in either the upper or the lower respiratory tracts of AGMs.

Viral gene expression during acute simian varicella virus infection.

Simian varicella virus (SVV) causes a natural varicella-like disease in nonhuman primates. Outbreaks of simian varicella occur sporadically in primate facilities. Simian varicella is used as a model for investigation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pathogenesis and latency.

Comparative dermal pharmacology and toxicology of 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone-2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (A-007) in rodents and primates.

4,4'-Dihydroxybenzophenone-2,4-ditrophenylhydrazone (A-007) has demonstrated anticancer activities, when administered topically to patients with metastatic cancer to the skin. Acute, subacute and subchronic dermal studies with A-007 in adult rabbits, rats, guinea pigs and monkeys failed to demonstrate local or systemic toxicity when applied topically as a 0.25% gel.

Targeted therapy of respiratory syncytial virus in African green monkeys by intranasally administered 2-5A antisense.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory disease in infants, young children, immunocompromised patients, and the institutionalized elderly. Previous work had shown that RNase L, an antiviral enzyme of the interferon system, could be recruited to cleave RSV genomic RNA by attaching tetrameric 2prime prime or minute-5prime prime or minute-linked oligoadenylates (2-5A) to an oligonucleotide complementary to repetitive gene-start sequences within the RSV genome (2-5A antisense). A 2prime prime or minute-O-methyl RNA-modified analog of the lead 2-5A anti-RSV chimera is shown here to have enhanced antiviral activity in cell culture studies while also cleaving RSV genomic RNA in an RNase L- and sequence-specific manner.

Expression of the simian varicella virus glycoprotein E.

Simian varicella virus (SVV) is closely related to human varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and induces a varicella-like disease in nonhuman primates. The SVV genome encodes a glycoprotein E (gE) which is homologous to the gE of VZV and other alphaherpesviruses. The SVV gE was expressed in Escherichia coli and rabbits were immunized with the recombinant gE fusion proteins to generate polyclonal gE antiserum.