Fusion of interleukin-2 to subunit antigens increase their antigenicity in vitro due to an interleukin-2 receptor beta-mediated antigen uptake mechanism.
Subunit vaccines, based on one or more epitopes, offer advantages over whole vaccines in terms of safety but are less antigenic. We investigated whether fusion of the cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) to influenza-derived subunit antigens could increase their antigenicity. The fusion of IL-2 to the subunit antigens increased their antigenicity in vitro. Encapsulation of the subunit antigen in liposomes also increased its antigenicity in vitro, yet encapsulation of the subunit IL-2 fusion did not. The use of anti-IL-2 receptor beta (IL-2Rbeta) antibody to block the receptor subunit on macrophages suggested that the adjuvancy exerted by IL-2 in our in vitro system is due to, at least in part, a previously unreported IL-2Rbeta-mediated antigen uptake mechanism.
Wales
J
J
Department of Microbiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Baird
M
M
Davies
N
N
Buchan
G
G
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; D008081:Liposomes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006388:Hemagglutinins; C508022:Il2rb protein, mouse; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; D008081:Liposomes; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins