Immunogenicity of CTLA4 fusion anti-caries DNA vaccine in rabbits and monkeys.
Enhancement of mucosal and systemic immune responses is still a challenge for the application of DNA vaccine. Here, we show anti-caries DNA vaccines, pGJA-P and pGJA-P/VAX, encoding Streptococcus mutans antigens fused to cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4), which binds to B7 molecule expressed on the surfaces of antigen-presenting cells. Rabbits and monkeys were immunized via intranasal or intramuscular routes. The fusion vaccine induced accelerated and increased specific antibody responses in serum and saliva compared with non-fusion DNA vaccine in rabbits. Significant specific serum IgG and salivary IgA levels could be detected in fusion vaccine-immunized monkeys. Therefore, this study demonstrates that fusing antigens to CTLA4 results in enhancing immune efficacy and strongly suggests that it may represent a promising approach to prevent dental caries or other mucosal infectious diseases. These findings also suggest that CTLA4 fusion anti-caries DNA vaccine may be effective immunogen in primates.
Jia
Rong
R
Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 237 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
Guo
Ji Hua
JH
Fan
Ming Wen
MW
Bian
Zhuan
Z
Chen
Zhi
Z
Fan
Bing
B
Yu
Fei
F
Xu
Qing An
QA