| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2407951 | Vaccine | 2007 | 9 Pages |
The envelope protein of dengue virus is the major protein involved in host cell receptor binding for viral entry and induction of immunity. A gene fragment encoding domain III of the dengue 2 envelope protein (D2EIII, amino acids 298–400) was successfully expressed in Nicotinana benthamiana plant using a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based transient expression system. The N-terminal 5′ untranslated region-omega sequence located upstream of D2EIII increased protein production in infected plant tissues. The recombinant protein was reactive with anti-D2EIII polyclonal and anti-His tag antibodies. The intramuscular immunization of mice with D2EIII induced the production of the anti-dengue virus antibody. The induced antibody demonstrated neutralizing activity against dengue type 2 virus. The result indicates that the TMV expression system produces the dengue virus antigen in plant, which possesses appropriate antigenicity and immunogenicity.
