Species-specificity of a murine immunocontraceptive utilising murine cytomegalovirus as a gene delivery vector

Lee Smith, Megan Lloyd, N.L. Harvey, Alec Redwood, Malcolm Lawson, Geoffrey Shellam

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cytomegaloviruses are species-specific DNA viruses. Recombinant murine cytomegaloviruse (MCMV) expressing the mouse egg-coat protein zona pellucida 3 (mZP3) has been shown to sterilise female mice by breaking self-tolerance and inducing an immune response against the host ZP3. This virus has the potential to be used for mouse population control, however the effect of this recombinant immunocontraceptive virus in non-host species must be determined.Recombinant MCMV-mZP3, based on both laboratory and wild strains of virus, induced long-lived antibody responses against structural viral proteins and mZP3 when inoculated into laboratory rats, although no viral DNA or replicating virus was identified. The anti-mZP3 antibodies were specific for mouse ZP3, did not cross-react with rat ZP3, and had no effect on the fertility of the rats. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2959-2969
JournalVaccine
Volume23
Issue number23
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005

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