Recombinant vaccinia virus having hepatitis C virus gene
Provided is a recombinant virus which is efficacious in preventing the onset of hepatitis C infection and has a high safety. Also provided is a vaccine for hepatitis C virus which contains the recombinant virus. A recombinant vaccinia virus which can express hepatitis C virus gene. The hepatitis C virus vaccine as described above contains the recombinant virus as described above.
1. A recombinant vaccinia virus comprising an expression promoter and a DNA of (a) or (b) below: (a) DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; or (b) DNA that hybridizes with DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, that has 90% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, and that codes for a nonstructural protein and a structural protein of hepatitis C virus.
2. The recombinant vaccinia virus according to claim 1 , wherein the vaccinia virus is LC16m8 strain.
3. The recombinant vaccinia virus according to claim 1 , wherein the expression promoter is a hybrid promoter.
4. The recombinant vaccinia virus according to claim 3 , wherein the nucleotide sequence of the hybrid promoter is DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.
5. An immunogenic composition comprising the recombinant vaccinia virus according to claim 1 .