[Construction of recombinant vaccina virus of HPV16 and its antitumor effect].

Background & Objective: Cervical cancer is tightly related with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), among which HPV16 is most common. This study was to construct HPV16 L1, L2, E67 coexpression non-replication vaccina virus, and explore its immunization effects.

Methods: HPV16 major capsid protein L1/L2 genes and HPV16 early E6/E7 genes were inserted into a vaccina virus expression vector to construct recombinant vaccina virus NTVJE67CKL1L2 by homologous recombination; the recombinant virus was identified by DNA hybridization and Western blot. C57BL/6 mice were immunized by NTVJE67CKL1L2; specific antibodies and specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were detected. Immune protective effects of NTVJE67CKL1L2 on the mice were evaluated by challenges of TC-1 tumor cells.

Results: HPV16 L1/L2/E6/E7 genes were integrated into vaccina virus DNA; Western blot confirmed that full-length L1/L2/E67 proteins were co-expressed in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells infected with the recombinant virus. NTVJE67CKL1L2 elicited specific antibodies against HPV16 L1/L2/E6/E7 and generated TC-1 cell-specific CTLs in mice. Mice boosted with NTVJE67CKL1L2 could tolerate the challenge of 1x10(4) TC-1 cells.

Conclusion: NTVJE67CKL1L2 can be taken as a candidate of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine for HPV-associated tumors and their precursor lesions.