title: Immunization of mice with DNA encoding fragment C of tetanus toxin.
abstract: Immunization of mice with Fragment C protein, the non-toxic C-terminal domain of tetanus toxin, will protect mice against lethal challenge with tetanus toxin. A plasmid, pcDNA3/tetC, which encodes a synthetic tetC gene expressed under the control of the human cytomegalovirus major intermediate early promoter/enhancer region, was constructed. Fragment C expression was observed in Chinese hamster ovary cells following transfection with pcDNA3/tetC. The immune response induced by intramuscular immunization with pure pcDNA3/tetC DNA was evaluated in a murine model. Anti-Fragment C serum immunoglobulin and proliferative responses in splenocytes were observed following two immunizations with pcDNA3/tetC. The major IgG subclass that recognized Fragment C was IgG2a and the stimulated splenocytes secreted high levels of interferon-gamma. Sufficient anti-Fragment C serum immunoglobulins were induced by DNA-mediated immunization to protect mice against lethal challenge with tetanus toxin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinopoulou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fairweather
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dougan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013742:Tetanus / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C040635:tetanus toxin fragment C