title: Novel DNA vaccine based on hepatitis B virus core gene induces specific immune responses in Balb/c mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the immunogenicity of a novel DNA vaccine, pSW3891/HBc, based on HBV core gene in Balb/c mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A novel DNA vaccine, pSW3891/HBc, encoding HBV core gene was constructed using a vector plasmid pSW3891. Balb/c mice were immunized with either pSW3891/HBc or empty vector DNA via gene gun. IgG anti-HBc responses in mouse sera were demonstrated by ELISA. Specific cytotoxicity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) of mice was quantitatively measured by lactate dehydrogenase release assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBcAg was expressed effectively in 293T cell line transiently transfected with pSW3891/HBc. Strong IgG anti-HBc responses were elicited in mice immunized with pSW3891/HBc. The end-point titers of anti-HBc reached the highest 1:97,200, 4 wk after the third immunization. The specific CTL killing with the highest specific lysis reached 73.25% at effector:target ratio of 20:1 in mice that received pSW3891/HBc DNA vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pSW3891/HBc vaccination elicits specific anti-HBc response and induces HBc-specific CTL response in immunized Balb/c mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. yipingx@public1.ptt.js.cn
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Zu-Hu
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shi-Xia
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Te-Hui W
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA