title: Intraspleen DNA inoculation elicits protective cellular immune responses.
abstract: DNA immunization or inoculation is a recent vaccination method that induces both humoral and cellular immune responses in a range of hosts. Independent of the route or site of vaccination, the transfer of antigen-presenting cells (APC) or antigens into lymphoid organs is necessary. The aim of this investigation was to test whether intraspleen (i.s.) DNA inoculation is capable of inducing a protective immune response. We immunized mice by a single i.s. injection of a DNA construct expressing the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy-chain variable domain (VH) in which the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) had been replaced by a Taenia crassiceps T-cell epitope. In these mice, immune responses and protective effects elicited by the vaccine were measured. We have shown here for the first time that i.s. DNA inoculation can induce protective cellular immune responses and activate CD8(+) T cells. Also, Ig V(H) appeared to be the minimal delivery unit of "antigenized" Ig capable of inducing T-cell activation in a lymphoid organ. The strategy of introducing T-cell epitopes into the molecular context of the V(H) domain in combination with i.s. DNA immunization could have important implications and applications for human immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gevorkian
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Terrazas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petrossian
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Govezensky
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sciutto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manoutcharian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D007267:Injections; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013621:Taenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic