DNA immune responses induced by codelivery of IL-12 expression vectors with hepatitis C structural antigens.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the utility of DNA vaccines for the tailored methods, the efficacy of enhanced immune responses, and the types of increased immune responses.


METHODS
Four recombinant plasmids constructed included the coding regions for the core protein (pC) and for the core, E1 and E2 together (pCE1E2), IL-12 p35 and p40. These plasmids were transfected into mammalian cells to test their protein expression and were injected into the quadriceps muscles of BALB/C mice for measurement of specific antibodies and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses.


RESULTS
All the recombinant plasmids were shown to express specific antigens stably in mammalian cells. Codelivery of pIL-12 expression cassettes with pC and pCE1E2 in mice resulted in the enhancement of Ag-dependent CTL responses and the reduction of specific Ab response. The CTL activity was: pC=18.65%+/-5.71%, pCE1E2=20.07%+/-11.11%, pC+pIL-12=60.11%+/-17.37%, pCE1E2+pIL-12=67.48%+/-15.57%, respectively. The average A values of anti-HCV were pC=0.415+/-0.127, pCE1E2=0.358+/-0.096, pC+pIL-12=0.210+/-0.086, pCE1E2+pIL-12=0.258+/-0.125.


CONCLUSIONS
Codelivery of pIL-12 with plasmid DNA can enhance the efficacy of immune responses and shift the type of immune responses.
Shan
Mei-Mei
MM
Institute of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Liu
Ke-Zhou
KZ
Fang
Hai-Lin
HL
Chen
Zhi
Z
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000939:Epitopes; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D000939:Epitopes; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12