title: DNA immunization induces antibody and cytotoxic T cell responses to hepatitis B core antigen in H-2b mice.
abstract: The serum Ab response and the class I-restricted CTL response of C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice to hepatitis B (pre)core Ag (HBcAg, HBeAg) was studied. Injection of HBcAg particles without adjuvants into mice efficiently primed serum Ab responses but not CTL response. We constructed the expression plasmids pCMV-1/c and pCMV-1/e in which expression of HBcAg or HBeAg was driven by cytomegalovirus immediate early region promoter sequences. Stable murine RBL5/C transfectant lines expressing HBcAg were established. Intramuscular DNA immunization with plasmid pCMV-1/c (encoding intracellularly expressed core Ag) or pCMV-1/e (encoding secreted precore Ag) efficiently primed specific serum Ab responses and CTL responses. The CTL response elicited in this system was mediated by CD4-CD8+ effector cells primed in vivo. The CTL recognized the HBcAg93-100 8-mer peptide MGLKFRQL in the context of Kb. Hence, DNA immunization with HBcAg/HBeAg-expressing plasmids, but not immunization with exogenous HBcAg particles, elicits a class I-restricted CTL response of defined epitope/restriction specificity in H-2b mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhöber
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Pudollek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reifenberg
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Chisari
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schlicht
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schirmbeck
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014162:Transfection / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C032876:H-2Kb protein, mouse; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic