title: Mucosal immunization with a DNA vaccine induces immune responses against HIV-1 at a mucosal site.
abstract: Mucosal immunity is the first defense system in protection against mucosal infection by sexually transmitted diseases and subsequent systemic dissemination of infection. Development of vaccines which can induce protective mucosal immunity would have great promise for preventing sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS. DNA vaccines have recently shown certain advantages over other types of vaccines in safety and elicitation of specific immune responses. We have hypothesized that direct delivery of a DNA plasmid coding the HIV-1 envelope (pcMN160) via mucosal routes will stimulate mucosal immunity against HIV-1. The expression of DNA plasmid inoculated intravaginally was detected in various tissues. Intravaginal inoculation of pcMN160 elicits production of vaginal immunoglobulins which specifically bind to the HIV-1 envelope and neutralize HIV-1 infectivity in vitro. These results indicate the feasibility of inducing mucosal immunity following mucosal inoculation of DNA vaccines. When coupled with systemic inoculation of appropriate DNA constructs, effective mucosal and systemic immunity may be generated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Agadjanyan
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srikantan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ugen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merva
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D051379:Mice; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D001616:beta-Galactosidase