Generation of a recombinant rabies Flury LEP virus carrying an additional G gene creates an improved seed virus for inactivated vaccine production

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Lihong Tao, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Jinying Ge, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Xijun Wang, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Zhiyuan Wen, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Hongyue Zhai, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Tao Hua, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Bolin Zhao, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Dongni Kong, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute; Chinglai Yang, Emory University; Zhigao Bu, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-09-25
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2011 Tao et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
• Final Published Version (URL): http://www.virologyj.com/content/8/1/454
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Virology Journal
• ISSN: 1743-422X
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 454
• Start Page: 1
• End Page: 7
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by Chinese National S&T Plan (2009ZX10004-214), by the grant from Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (200803014) and by the GHI program of Emory University.
• Keywords: LEP; inactivated vaccine; recombinant; Rabies virus
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Microbiology; Biology, Virology

Abstract

The rabies Flury Low Egg Passage virus (LEP) has been widely used as a seed virus to generate inactive vaccine. Here, we established a reverse genetic system for LEP and generated a recombinant LEP virus (rLEP-G) that carries two identical G genes. This recombinant virus showed similar properties to those of LEP with respect to in vitro growth, neurotropism index, and virulence in mice. rLEP-G produced 4.3-fold more G protein than did LEP in BHK-21 cells. The inactivated vaccine generated from rLEP-G induced significantly higher virus neutralization titers in mice and dogs than those produced in response to LEP-derived vaccine. Our results suggest that rLEP-G is an improved seed virus candidate for inactivated rabies virus vaccine manufacture.