title: Effective DNA vaccination against listeriosis by prime/boost inoculation with the gene gun.
abstract: Protective immunity against Listeria monocytogenes strongly depends on CD8+ T lymphocytes, and both IFN-gamma secretion and target cell killing are considered relevant to protection. We analyzed whether we could induce a protective type 1 immune response by DNA vaccination with the gene gun using plasmids encoding for two immunodominant listerial Ags, listeriolysin and p60. To induce a Th1 response, we 1) coprecipitated a plasmid encoding for GM-CSF, 2) employed a prime/boost vaccination schedule with a 45-day interval, and 3) coinjected oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing immunostimulatory CpG motifs. DNA immunization of BALB/c mice with plasmids encoding for listeriolysin (pChly) and p60 (pCiap) efficiently induced MHC class I-restricted, Ag-specific CD8+ T cells that produced IFN-gamma. Coinjection of CpG-ODN significantly increased the frequency of specific IFN-gamma-secreting T cells. Although pChly induced specific CD8+ T cells expressing CTL activity, it failed to stimulate CD4+ T cells. Only pCiap induced significant CD4+ T cell and humoral responses, which were predominantly of Th2 type. Vaccination with either plasmid induced protective immunity against listerial challenge, and coinjection of CpG ODN improved vaccine efficacy in some situations. This study demonstrates the feasibility of gene gun administration of plasmid DNA for inducing immunity against an intracellular pathogen for which protection primarily depends on type 1 CD8+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fensterle
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grode
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019470:Biolistics / Q000379:methods; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000379:methods; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C078516:60 kDa protein, Listeria monocytogenes; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C038705:hlyA protein, Listeria monocytogenes