title: Co-expression of interleukin-2 by a bicistronic plasmid increases the efficacy of DNA immunization to prevent influenza virus infections.
abstract: A promising approach to protect susceptible individuals against severe diseases is the inoculation of plasmids. Such DNA vaccines against influenza virus infections were quite efficient in different animal models; but still this procedure is not in clinical use until today. The present study reports the generation and characterization of bicistronic plasmids which enables the expression of influenza A virus gene sequences together with immunostimulatory cytokines demonstrating that among these cytokines especially interleukin-2 (IL-2) was efficient to prevent a lethal influenza virus infection in mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy, Medical Center, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. i6hean@rz.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rohland
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zell
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wutzler
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins