title: An interferon gamma-gp120 fusion delivered as a DNA vaccine induces enhanced priming.
abstract: Nucleic acid vaccination has many potential advantages over traditional methods, but suffers from the fact that DNA vaccines tend to be relatively poorly immunogenic. Attempts to enhance DNA vaccine immunogenicity have included the addition of cytokine-encoding plasmids into the formulation, as well as the use of heterologous prime-boost regimes and the addition of conventional adjuvants, such as alum. We have previously shown that interferon gamma fusions have enhanced immunogenicity as recombinant protein vaccines. We have assessed here the immunogenicity of an interferon gamma-gp120 fusion delivered as a DNA vaccine, in the context of a prime-boost strategy and in the presence of absence of aluminium phosphate. Fusion of gp120 DNA to interferon gamma-encoding DNA resulted in strongly enhanced priming, especially of Th1 responses, including IgG2a responses to a protein boost.
authors.affiliation: Infection and Immunity Department, F floor, Division of Genomic Medicine, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Rd, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
authors.forename: Sonali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nimal
authors.forename: Adele L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Heath
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C041524:aluminum sulfate; D007371:Interferon-gamma