Generation and characterization of recombinant coxsackievirus replicons for prevention of virus-induced heart disease

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Until today no virus-specific prophylactic or therapeutic procedures for coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced acute and chronic human cardiac inflammation are in clinical use. Therefore, the search for new effective methods to prevent virus-caused myocarditis is the goal of this research project. A novel strategy to prevent viral infection is based on the development of cytokine-expressing recombinant virus vectors. The simultaneous expression of the immunoregulatory protein interferon-g (IFN-g) from within the viral genome influences the normal pattern of immune pathways and caused an intense protection against subsequent lethal infections via direct and indirect mechanisms. However, until now it is not clear how this protection is induced. Therefore, this research project is focused on the following questions: · Which metabolic pathways are involved in the direct antiviral activity of IFN-g ? · How is the indirect protective effect of IFN-g induced? · Is the IFN-g effect virus-specific?