CTL responses to vaccination in CRPV rabbit model

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Cervical cancer is caused by infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs). The viral etiology of this cancer indicates that it should be possible to develop highly specific and effective antiviral and antitumor vaccines. The control of HPV infection and associated lesions is believer to be mediated through the action of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). The only small animal model for the study of high risk (cancer-associated) papillomavirus infection is the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV)-rabbit model. Using this model, my laboratory has produced a number of CRPV vaccines that protect rabbits against primary CRPV infection or that suppress the clinical manifestations of a preestablished infection. Our ability to advance beyond the current in vivo results is hindered by the fact that a CTL assay for rabbits is currently not available. Since recent advances in immunology make it feasible to develop a rabbit CTL assay, this is the goal of our project. Our specific aims are: 1) to produce a source of immortal cells for the development of CTL targets; 2) to generate antigen-specific target cells; 3) to develop a CTL assay using effector cells from vaccinated rabbits.