Expression of foreign epitopes on recombinant occlusion bodies of baculoviruses.

Recombinant polyhedrin proteins of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus were constructed to serve as immunologic carriers of foreign epitopes. Several recombinants containing an influenza haemagglutinin epitope were obtained. Three of the five recombinants formed occlusion bodies (OBs) and two did not. All of the recombinant polyhedrin proteins reacted with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for an influenza epitope in Western blots. Presentation of the foreign epitope on the surface of recombinant OBs was demonstrated by specific immunoprecipitation of the anti-influenza mAb with recombinant OBs. The recombinant polyhedrin-influenza epitope fusion protein stimulated an influenza-specific immune response in rabbits.