title: DNA immunisation with minimalistic expression constructs.
abstract: The low efficacy obtained in large animals makes plasmid-based DNA vaccines commercially unviable. Another concern is the presence of antibiotic resistance markers on virtually all conventional plasmids. Here we describe the use of minimalistic, immunogenically defined gene expression (MIDGE) vectors for DNA vaccination. MIDGE are linear, covalently-closed vectors containing all the essential information for gene expression and none of the non-essential and potentially dangerous plasmid backbone sequences. MIDGE vectors can also be chemically modified on both ends at defined positions allowing targeting of the DNA to specific cell types or cellular compartments. Immunisation of mice with simple and end-modified MIDGE vectors showed that they are efficacious tools to generate and/or manipulate antigen-specific immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Mologen Molecular Medicines S L, C/Antonio de Cabezón 83, Piso 2, 28034 Fuencarral, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: López-Fuertes
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vila-Coro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sack
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Konig
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wittig
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schroff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juhls
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Junghans
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020014:K562 Cells; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D007371:Interferon-gamma