title: Development of a multigenic plasmid vector for HCV DNA immunization.
abstract: HCV viral nucleocapsid protein (C), non-structural protein 3 (NS3) and the envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 are candidate immune targets for developing anti-HCV DNA vaccine. Nevertheless, the immune response elicited by these antigens often appears weak and/or transient. Different approaches have been studied for enhancing and/or modulating the immune response of the DNA vaccine. On the basis of a prototype multigenic plasmid vector constituted of two different transcription cassettes (pRC100), we have developed a plasmid vector that allows the independent and simultaneous expression of murine IL2 and of an antigenic domain of the HCV NS3 C terminus (pRC112-HCV). The highly conserved NS3 region spans from nt 4403 to nt 4829 and contains two putative B and T epitopes. The development of this multigenic plasmid vector may combine the expression and local production of an immunomodulatory molecule (mIL2) together with the possibility of addressing the host immune response to the most immunogenic and conserved epitopes, specifically tailored in the plasmid vector.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Oncology and Gene Therapy, IRCCS H. Casa Sollievo Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parrella
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Signori
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Fazio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007376:Interleukin-2; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases