CHICKEN ANEMIA VIRUS MUTANTS AND VACCINES AND USES BASED ON THE VIRAL PROTEINS VP1, VP2 AND VP3 OR SEQUENCES OF THAT VIRUS CODING THEREFOR

摘要

Novel proteins of the Chicken Anemia Virus are described and compositions for preventing or treating infections with that virus (CAV), in particular vaccines less pathogenic than the CAV itself, but yet leading to neutralizing antibodies in the immunized animal. Besides, there are described compositions containing antibodies against parts of the CAV for the control of infections with CAV and anti-idiotype antibodies which possess an immunogenicity corresponding to the antigen. The invention also provides antibodies for the detection of CAV infections and test kits for the detection of CAV. Recombinant DNA molecules derived from CAV coding for an immunogenic part of a CAV protein and host cells transfected with such DNA molecules and vaccines based on these host cells are made possible by this invention. Also, living virus vaccines in which a piece of DNA coding for an immunogenic part of a CAV protein is brought into a virus infectious to the desired host are a subject of the invention. Besides, the invention relates to uses of proteins of CAV in the induction of apoptosis, in particular, the proteins can be used in induction of apoptosis in tumor cells. The invention further provides the induction of cell death by means of gene therapy.