title: Circumvention of MHC class II restriction by genetic immunization.
abstract: The fate of T cell responses to peptide-based vaccination is subject to constraints by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), MHC restriction. Using as a model system of T and B cell epitopes from the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite, we show that vaccination by somatic transgene immunization readily primes Balb/c mice (H-2(d)) a strain previously reported to be non-responder to immunization with a synthetic peptide vaccine encompassing these epitopes. Following genetic vaccination Balb/c mice developed a primary T cell response comparable to that of the responder strain C57Bl/6 (H-2(b)). Following booster immunization on day 45 Balb/c mice responded with a typical T cell memory response. Priming induced the formation of specific antibodies, which rose sharply after booster immunization. These findings suggests that genetic immunization can circumvent MHC class II restriction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0837, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Croft
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerloni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan; D007371:Interferon-gamma