Enhancement of mucosal immune response against HIV-1 Gag by DNA immunization.
In order to examine the feasibility of Gag-expression DNA as a potential candidate for HIV vaccine using a mouse model, we injected DNA into mice either intramuscularly or by using a gene gun. Both methods induced a low level of antibody production. However, after booster immunization with p24 protein emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant via a footpad, we found that only the preceding intramuscular DNA immunization induced an anti-Gag Th1-type (IgG(2a)) antibody response, in addition to the enhancement of a Th2-type (IgG(1)) antibody response. Importantly, when mice were boosted intranasally with p24 and cholera toxin, intramuscular DNA injection was found to enhance both systemic and mucosal Gag-specific immune responses. These results indicate that intramuscular DNA immunization confers the inducibility of memory cells, which circulate around various mucosal tissues. Therefore, intramuscular DNA priming, followed by a mucosal booster immunization, could be considered as a regimen applicable to HIV vaccine.
Department of Immunology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
I
I
Yoshizawa
Y
Y
Soda
T
T
Mizuochi
S
S
Yasuda
T A
TA
Rizvi
T
T
Mizuochi
T
T
Takemori
Y
Y
Tsunetsugu-Yokota
D016475:3T3 Cells; D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D019444:Vaccines, DNA