[Construction and characterization of non-replicating recombinant vaccinia virus expressing rabies glycoprotein].

Objective: To improve the safety of recombinant vaccinia rabies virus, the non-replicating recombinant vaccinia rabies virus VTKRG delta CK was constructed.
Methods: The rabies glycoprotein(RG) gene was introduced into the TK locus of Chinese Tiantan strain of vaccinia virus (VTKRG), and a fragment between fragment C and fragment K involving vaccinia virus virulence and host-range related genes were deleted by homologous recombinant.
Results: The ability to replicate in primary chick chick embryo fibroblast(CEF) and dramatically reduced replicating capability in mammalian cells of the virus were observed, whereas VTKRG delta CK could express high level of RG efficiently. The expression of RG could be detected in CEF by indirect immunofluorescence assay and Western blot analysis. The VTKRG delta CK could elicit neutralizing antibody against CVS rabies virus and protect the animals from lethal rabies virus challenge in inoculated mice.
Conclusion: VTKRG delta CK possesses immunogenicity and higher safety.