Additives and protein-DNA combinations modulate the humoral immune response elicited by a hepatitis C virus core-encoding plasmid in mice.
Humoral and cellular immune responses are currently induced against hepatitis C virus (HCV) core following vaccination with core-encoding plasmids. However, the anti-core antibody response is frequently weak or transient. In this paper, we evaluated the effect of different additives and DNA-protein combinations on the anti-core antibody response. BALB/c mice were intramuscularly injected with an expression plasmid (pIDKCo), encoding a C-terminal truncated variant of the HCV core protein, alone or combined with CaCl2, PEG 6000, Freund's adjuvant, sonicated calf thymus DNA and a recombinant core protein (Co. 120). Mixture of pIDKCo with PEG 6000 and Freund's adjuvant accelerated the development of the anti-core Ab response. Combination with PEG 6000 also induced a bias to IgG2a subclass predominance among anti-core antibodies. The kinetics, IgG2a/IgG1 ratio and epitope specificity of the anti-core antibody response elicited by Co. 120 alone or combined with pIDKCo was different regarding that induced by the pIDKCo alone. Our data indicate that the antibody response induced following DNA immunization can be modified by formulation strategies.
Alvarez-Lajonchere
Liz
L
HCV Department, Vaccine Division, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología. juan.morales@cigb.edu.cu
Dueñas-Carrera
Santiago
S
Viña
Ariel
A
Ramos
Thelvia
T
Pichardo
Dagmara
D
Morales
Juan
J
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines