DNA vaccine against the non-structural 1 protein (NS1) of dengue 2 virus

Dengue is one of the most important mosquito-borne viral disease causing dengue fever and/or dengue shock syndrome/haemorrhagic fever. In some reports, the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) has been identified as a promising antigen for the development of vaccines against dengue virus (DENV). Apparently, it can elicit a protective antibody response with complement-fixing activities. In order to investigate the potential of a DNA vaccine based on the NS1 protein against DENV, we used the plasmid pcTPANS1, which contains the secretory signal sequence derived from human tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) fused to the full length of the DENV-2 NS1 gene. All Balb/c mice intramuscularly inoculated with the pcTPANS1 presented high levels of NS1-specifc antibodies. Vaccinated animals were challenged with intracerebral DENV-2 virus inoculations and a 100% survival was observed. In general, results demonstrate that the pcTPANS1 plasmid is able to induce protection in mice, and then may be used as a vaccination approach against DENV in further assays. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.