title: Marked enhancement of the antigen-specific immune response by combining plasmid DNA-based immunization with a Schiff base-forming drug.
abstract: Although plasmid DNA (pDNA)-based immunization has proven efficacy, the level of immune responses that is achieved by this route of vaccination is often lower than that induced by traditional vaccines, especially for primates and humans. We report here a simple and potent method to enhance pDNA-based vaccination by using two different plasmids encoding viral or bacterial antigens. This method is based on coadministration of low concentrations of a recently described immunopotentiating, Schiff base-forming drug called tucaresol which has led to significant augmentation of antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Our data suggest that enhancement of the immune response with tucaresol might provide a powerful tool for the further development of pDNA-based immunization for humans.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center Karolinska (CCK), Karolinska Hospital, S-17176, Stockholm, Sweden. Jehad_Charo@nih.gov
authors.forename: Jehad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sundbäck
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wasserman
authors.forename: Anne-Marie T
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ciupitu
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mirzai
authors.forename: Ruurd
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Zee
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kiessling
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology; D012545:Schiff Bases / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001547:Benzaldehydes; D001565:Benzoates; D018834:Chaperonin 60; C438197:EBNA4 antigen; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D012545:Schiff Bases; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C059629:tucaresol