Expression of glycoprotein D of herpes simplex virus type 1 in a recombinant baculovirus: protective responses and T cell recognition of the recombinant-infected cell extracts.

Recombinant baculoviruses expressing glycoprotein D (gD) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have been generated. The proteins expressed from the recombinants have been characterized using monoclonal antibodies on Western blots and by immunoprecipitation. Partially glycosylated 48K polypeptides have been identified as products of the gD gene. Polyclonal sera from H-2k mice infected with HSV-1 recognized the same polypeptides. Furthermore, draining lymph node cells from H-2k mice infected with HSV-1 proliferated in vitro in response to recombinant-infected cell extracts. Immunization with such extracts generated high titre complement-dependent and -independent neutralizing antibody and the mice were protected against a challenge with HSV-1.