Background and Aims: Glycoprotein B (gB) is among the most important immunogenic proteins of HSV-1 that is now being used as recombinant vaccine to induce protectively against the virus. It is believed that gB is responsible for induction of neutralizing antibody and up to 90% of CTL (Cytotoxic T Cell) activity against HSV-1 in some haplotypes. Methods: In the present study the antibody titer induced by a gB based DNA vaccine and the protective effect of the candidate vaccine in BALB/c mice in comparison with those induced by the whole virus were evaluated. DNA plasmid carrying full-length of gB-1 was constructed and its ability to express the protein was confirmed by immunofluorescence test. Results: Humoral immune response and protective effect of the constructed vector were evaluated in BALB/c mice. Conclusion:The neutralizing antibody titer induced by the DNA vaccine was significantly lower than the one induced by the whole virus, although, both of vaccines could confer 100% protectively against HSV-1 challenge.

Background and Aims: The latency-associated transcript (LAT) transcribed by latent Herpes Simplex Virus type-1 in neuron cells are able to influence their host cell pathways. While the most of previous studies were focused on anti-apoptotic effects of LAT, our investigation is making an effort to explore LAT potency on cell cycle pathway in neuroblastoma cell lines. Methods: The evaluation of LAT expression was assayed by RT-PCR. Real-Time PCR of cell cycle critical gene controllers' transcripts expression like EP300, P15, RB, RBL1, RBL2, MAPK-1, cyclinA2 and SMAD2 along with other technical evaluation such as MTT and cell counting assay assessed the LAT effects on cell cycle. Results: The LAT transfected cells gene expression showed the increase of EP300, P15, RBL1 and RBL2 along with decline in MAPK-1 and cyclinA2 in comparison to cells transfected by control vector. The cell counting and MTT assays determined that LAT brought cell cycle down rather than cells introduced by control plasmid. Conclusion: our investigation revealed that LAT transcript is able to repress cell cycle in neuroblastoma cells.