title: Complexes of DNA vaccines with cationic, antigenic peptides are potent, polyvalent CD8(+) T-cell-stimulating immunogens.
abstract: A priority in current vaccine research is the development of multivalent vaccines that support the efficient priming of long-lasting CD8(+) T-cell immunity. We developed a novel vaccination strategy that used synthetic, cationic (positively charged), and antigenic peptides complexed to negatively charged nucleic acids: antigenic, major histocompatibility complex-class I-binding epitopes fused with a cationic sequence derived from the HIV tat protein (tat50-57: KKRRQRRR) were mixed with nucleic acids (e.g., CpG-containing oligonucleotides) to quantitatively form peptide/nucleic acid complexes. The injection of these complexes efficiently primed long-lasting, specific CD8(+) T-cell immunity of high magnitude. This chapter describes a novel strategy to codeliver complexes of cationic/antigenic peptides bound to antigen-encoding plasmid DNA vaccines in a way that enhances the immunogenicity of both components for T cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riedl
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schirmbeck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D019444:Vaccines, DNA