Cellular and humoral immune responses to rubella virus structural proteins E1, E2, and C.

Better understanding of cell-mediated immune responses to rubella virus would provide the basis for the development of safe and effective vaccines against rubella and would aid in analysis of the pathophysiology of congenital rubella syndrome. We have expressed individual rubella virus structural proteins, E1, E2 and C, via vaccinia virus recombinants. Using the expressed recombinant proteins as antigens, we were able to demonstrate antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferative responses in control individuals and individuals with congenital rubella syndrome. Among the two human groups studied, E1 glycoprotein proved to be a better immunogen than E2 or C. For the control individuals, significant differences in proliferative responses to the structural proteins E1, E2, and C were observed. These differences were not significant in individuals with congenital rubella syndrome. In parallel to the lymphoproliferative responses, immunoglobulin G responses were also found directed mainly to the E1 glycoprotein. These results suggest that E1 may be the most important rubella virus antigen to study in determining the domains required for constructing subunit vaccines against rubella.