title: Immunization with a gene encoding granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor inserted with a single helper T-cell epitope of an intracellular bacterium induces a specific T-cell subset and protective immunity.
abstract: We evaluated here the effect of immunization with a gene encoding granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) inserted with a helper T cell (Th) epitope, listeriolysin O (LLO) 215-226 derived from Listeria monocytogenes on induction of a specific Th by gene gun bombardment. Immunization of C3H/He mice with pGM215m plasmid encoding murine GM-CSF inserted with LLO 215-226 Th epitope gave the epitope-specific proliferative responses of CD4(+) T lymphocytes. In addition, specific interferon-gamma production from the splenocytes was observed. Concomitantly, pGM215m-immunized mice showed significant protective immunity against lethal listerial challenge. These results suggest that immunization of a gene for GM-CSF inserted with a Th epitope is useful for eliciting a specific Th subset in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan. tnagata@hama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchijima
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoshi
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koide
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D017931:DNA Primers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010957:Plasmids; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor