title: Electric pulses applied prior to intramuscular DNA vaccination greatly improve the vaccine immunogenicity.
abstract: Electroporation can improve intramuscular DNA vaccination efficacy but the exact antigen presentation mechanism remains unclear. We reported here that a similar immuno-potentiation effect was also observed by stimulating the skeletal muscles with electric pulses (EP) a few days prior to DNA inoculation (EP + n days + DNA). The application of EP by itself activated proinflammatory chemokine genes and stress genes. It also triggered an influx of inflammatory monocytes/macrophages (MPs). After DNA inoculation, the plasmids were seen taken up by these inflammatory MPs, which migrated to the draining LNs subsequently. The antibody responses results were fast and strong. Furthermore, MPs isolated from the draining LNs of EP + n days + DNA treated mice were capable of stimulating Ag specific CD4+ T cell proliferation in vitro. Based on these observations, we proposed that the local inflammation resulted from EP treatment played an important role in facilitating antigen presentation of the DNA vaccines.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai JiaoTong University, 1954 Hua Shan Rd., Shanghai 200030, PR China.
authors.forename: Baowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D023421:Models, Animal; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA