Optimized Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) E2 Glycoproteins and their Immunogenicity in Combination with MVA-HCV.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a major global health challenge and an efficient vaccine is urgently needed. Many HCV vaccination strategies employ recombinant versions of the viral E2 glycoprotein. However, recombinant E2 readily forms disulfide-bonded aggregates that might not be optimally suited for vaccines. Therefore, we have designed an E2 protein in which we strategically changed eight cysteines to alanines (E2.C8A). E2.C8A formed predominantly monomers and virtually no aggregates. Furthermore, E2.C8A also interacted more efficiently with broadly neutralizing antibodies than conventional E2. We used mice to evaluate different prime/boost immunization strategies involving a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) expressing the nearly full-length genome of HCV (MVA-HCV) in combinatio

SUBMITTER: Marin MQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7563715 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature