title: Enhancement of humoral and cellular immunity in mice against Japanese encephalitis virus using a DNA prime-protein boost vaccine strategy.
abstract: A synthetic multi-epitope gene containing critical epitopes of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) envelope gene was cloned into both prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression vectors. The recombinant plasmid and purified recombinant protein (heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli) were used as immunogens in a mouse model. The results indicate that both the recombinant protein and the DNA vaccine induce humoral and cellular immune responses. Neutralising antibody titres in mice in the pcDNA-TEP plus rEP group increased considerably relative to mice immunised using either pcDNA-TEP or rEP alone (P<0.05). Furthermore, the highest levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-gamma and IL-4 were induced following priming with the DNA vaccine and boosting with the recombinant protein. Together these findings demonstrate that a DNA-recombinant protein prime-boost vaccination strategy can produce high levels of antibody and trigger significant T cell responses in mice, highlighting the potential value of such an approach in the prevention of JEV infection.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Diagnosis and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui-Bing
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qi-Sheng
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jing-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: En-Xiu
authors.initials: EX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pu-Yan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000276:immunology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary*; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000662:veterinary; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines