Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Protection of cottontop tamarins against Epstein–Barr virus-induced malignant lymphoma by a prototype subunit vaccine

Nature volume 318, pages 287–289 (1985)Cite this article

Abstract

Epstein–Barr (EB) virus is one of the five herpesviruses of man. Strong links between this agent and the chain of events causing two human cancers, endemic Burkitt's lymphoma and undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, have long been evident (reviewed in ref. 1). Because of this, and because of the very high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in certain large populations2, it was suggested in 1976 that a vaccine should be developed against EB virus to prevent infection and thereby reduce tumour incidence amongst those at risk3. The virus-determined membrane antigen (MA) was proposed as immunogen3 because it was known to elicit naturally occurring virus-neutralizing antibodies in man4–7 and because analogous antigens had been shown to act as effective experimental vaccines for preventing the herpesvirus-induced lymphomas of Marek's disease in chickens8,9. Progress has been achieved in defining, quantifying and preparing MA molecules, and in enhancing their immunogenicity10; a sensitive assay for antibodies to MA has been elaborated11. Here we report that isolated cell membranes expressing MA, or purified MA glycoprotein of relative molecular mass (Mr) 340,000 (gp340), have been used to vaccinate cottontop tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus), and that animals receiving either preparation were protected against the effects of a 100% tumour-inducing challenge dose of EB virus.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Epstein, M.A. & Achong, B.G. (eds) The Epstein-Barr Virus (Springer, Berlin, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Shanmugaratnam, K. Int. Rev. exp. Path. 10, 361–413 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Epstein, M.A. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 56, 697–700 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pearson, G., Dewey, F., Klein, G., Henle, G. & Henle, W. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 45, 989–995 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pearson, G., Henle, G. & Henle, W. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 46, 1243–1250 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gergely, L., Klein, G. & Ernberg, I. Virology 45, 10–21 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. De Schryver, A. et al. Int. J. Cancer. 13, 353–362 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kaaden, O.R. & Dietzschold, B. J. gen. Virol. 25, 1–10 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lesnick, F. & Ross, L.J.N. Int. J. Cancer 16, 153–163 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Epstein, M. A. Proc. R. Soc. B221, 1–20 (1984).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Randle, B.J. & Epstein, M.A. J. virol Meth. 9, 201–208 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Miller, G. in The Epstein-Barr Virus (eds Epstein, M. A. & Achong, B. G.) 351–372 (Springer, 1979).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Cleary, M.L. et al. Science 228, 722–724 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kirkwood, J.K., Epstein, M.A. & Terlecki, A.J. Lab. Anim. 17, 35–41 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kirkwood, J.K. Primates 24, 515–520 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kirkwood, J.K., Epstein, M.A., Terlecki, A.J. & Underwood, S. J. Lab. Anim. (in the press).

  17. North, J.R., Morgan, A.J., Thompson, J.L. & Epstein, M.A. J. virol. Meth. 5, 55–65 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hudewentz, J., Bornkamm, G.W. & zur Hausen, H. Virology 100, 175–178 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Crumpton, M.J. & Snary, D., Topics molec. Immun. 3, 27–56 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Moss, D.J. & Pope, J.H. J. gen. Virol. 17, 233–236 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Morgan, A.J., North, J.R. & Epstein, M.A. J. gen. Virol. 64, 455–460 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. North, J.R., Morgan, A.J., Thompson, J.L. & Epstein, M.A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sei. 79, 7504–7508 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Morgan, A.J., Epstein, M.A. & North, J.R. J. med. Virol 13, 281–292 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Epstein, M.A., Randle, B.J., Finerty, S. & Kirkwood, J. K. Clin. exp. Immun. (in the press).

  25. Morgan, A.J., Smith, A.R., Barker, R.N. & Epstein, M.A. J. gen. Virol. 65, 397–404 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hummel, M., Thorley-Lawson, D.A. & Kieff, E. J. Virol. 49, 413–417 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Biggin, M., Farrell, P.J. & Barrell, B.G. EMBO J. 3, 1083–1090 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Morein, B., Sundquist, B., Höglund, S., Dalsgaard, K. & Osterhaus, A. Nature 308, 457–460 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Smith, G.L., Mackett, M. & Moss, B. Nature 302, 490–495 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Moss, B., Smith, G.L., Gerin, J.L. & Purcell, R.H. Nature 311, 67–69 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mackett, M., Yilma, T., Rose, J.K. & Moss, B. Science 227, 433–435 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Bristol Medical School, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 ITD, UK

    M. A. Epstein, A. J. Morgan, S. Finerty, B. J. Randle & J. K. Kirkwood

Authors
  1. M. A. Epstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. J. Morgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Finerty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. J. Randle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. K. Kirkwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Epstein, M., Morgan, A., Finerty, S. et al. Protection of cottontop tamarins against Epstein–Barr virus-induced malignant lymphoma by a prototype subunit vaccine. Nature 318, 287–289 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/318287a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/318287a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing