title: Macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha expression plasmid enhances DNA vaccine-induced immune responses against HSV-2.
abstract: In this study, we examined the effectiveness of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha cDNA as a HSV-2 DNA vaccine adjuvant. pcDNA3-gD (pgD) and pcDNA3-MIP-1alpha (pMIP-1alpha) were co-injected to examine the modulatory effects of MIP-1alpha on immune phenotype and protection against lethal challenge with HSV-2. We found that Th-cell proliferative responses were dramatically enhanced by co-injection of pgD and pMIP-1alpha compared with injection of pgD alone. The secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma was also significantly increased by pgD and pMIP-1alpha co-injection; however, the production of cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 was not affected by co-injection. pgD and pMIP-1alpha co-injection resulted in a moderate enhancement of systemic gD-specific antibody level, but mucosal secretory IgA was markedly enhanced. When BALB/c mice were challenged intravaginally with 100 LD50 of HSV-2 strain Sav, pMIP-1alpha co-injection with pgD improved their survival rate and significantly reduced both the number of mice with lesions and the lesion severity. Therefore, MIP-1alpha cDNA as a HSV-2 DNA vaccine adjuvant drives antigen-specific Th1-type responses, reducing HSV-2-derived morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Joint Influenza Research Centre (SUMC and HKU), Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guandong, China.
authors.forename: Wenai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Xiaomian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Kangsheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D015996:Survival Rate; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D016207:Cytokines; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins