Provided herein are compositions and methods for vaccination and research applications. In particular, provided herein are non-neuroinvasive herpesviruses and alpha herpesviruses and uses thereof.

This disclosure provides platforms for delivery of herpes virus proteins to cells, particularly proteins that form complexes in vivo. In some embodiments these proteins and the complexes they form elicit potent neutralizing antibodies. Thus, presentation of herpes virus proteins using the disclosed platforms permits the generation of broad and potent immune responses useful for vaccine development.

This invention relates to chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) assembled from a polypeptide comprising a papilloma virus (PV) L1 protein or L1/L2 protein and a target peptide comprising a CD8+ T cell epitope derived from a human pathogen. This invention also relates to methods using the chimeric VLPs as antigen-specific redirectors of immune responses.

The disclosure provides recombinant herpes virus with diminished latency. In embodiments, the recombinant herpes virus comprises a latency gene or transcript linked to an altered or heterologous promoter. The disclosure also provides compositions and methods for inducing immunity in animals using the recombinant herpes viruses.

This invention relates to chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) assembled from a polypeptide comprising a papilloma virus (PV) L1 protein or L1/L2 protein and a target peptide comprising a CD8+ T cell epitope derived from a human pathogen. This invention also relates to methods using the chimeric VLPs as antigen-specific redirectors of immune responses.

The technology described herein relates to modified T cells and their use in immunotherapeutic methods. In various examples, the T cells are modified so as to decrease or eliminate CD3ζ, TRAC, and/or TRBC expression.

A prokaryotic expression system or a recombinant adenovirus system is used to highly efficiently express VZV envelope gE glycoprotein and the flagellin fusion protein thereof. The produced recombinant gE protein, gE flagellin fusion protein and recombinant adenovirus vector, or composition thereof is used to immunize a mouse so as to promote the body to generate gE and VZV-specific antibody titer, as well as gE-specific and VZV-specific cell immunity.

An antigen variant and a use thereof are disclosed. The antigen variant is a protein, among surface proteins (gE) of the varicella zoster virus, exhibits a high expression level and high immunogenicity, and thus, when the antigen variant is used as a vaccine composition, the vaccine composition has more excellent safety compared to a live virus vaccine, and the antigen variant exhibits a higher expression level in a host cell compared to other antigens. The antigen variant is useful as a vaccine for preventing or treating chicken pox or herpes zoster caused by the varicella zoster virus.

This invention provides new compositions comprising nucleotide sequence(s) encoding alphaherpesvirus glycoprotein D protein(s) (gDP(s)) and antigen(s) that induce immune responses. Such sequences typically encode gDP:antigen fusion proteins and typically also include feature(s) that significantly enhance immune responses such as (a) sequences encoding ITIC signal transducing adaptor proteins, e.g., SLAM-associated proteins (SAPs), Ewing's sarcoma-associated transcript 2 proteins, or both, or non-gDP checkpoint inhibitor(s); (b) sequences encoding antigen-associated targeting sequences, e.g., polyubiquitin sequences; (c) deimmunized/modified antigen-encoding sequences; (d) gDP(s) with modified sequence(s); (e) expression-enhancing introns; (f) transfection-facilitating agents; or (g) combinations thereof. Methods of using such constructs to induce immune responses and other methods and compositions also are provided, including methods of using such constructs in animals not known to express Herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) receptors (e.g., pigs), animals not under disease agent-associated checkpoint inhibition, and other contexts.

Provided are an ORF7 deficient varicella virus, an vaccine comprising the virus and use thereof, as well as a method for the production the virus.