In vivo priming by DNA injection occurs predominantly by antigen transfer.
DNA vaccines can stimulate both humoral and cytolytic immune responses. Although bone marrow-derived elements present the expressed Ag, the mechanisms for acquiring immunogenic peptides have yet to be fully elucidated. APCs may become directly transfected by plasmid DNA or process extracellular proteins produced by other transfected cells. Using a transactivating plasmid system and bone marrow chimeras, we show that both mechanisms appear to be involved; however, the bulk of the immune response is dependent on expression of Ag by nonlymphoid tissues and transfer to APCs. These in vivo studies are the first to define the role of transfected nonlymphoid cells in generating Ag for presentation by bone marrow-derived APCs after needle injection with plasmid DNA.
Corr
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Department of Medicine, The Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA. mcorr@ucsd.edu
von Damm
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Lee
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D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015534:Trans-Activators; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D010047:Ovalbumin; D013752:Tetracycline