title: Electroporation of synthetic DNA antigens offers protection in nonhuman primates challenged with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.
abstract: Avian influenza highlights the need for novel vaccination techniques that would allow for the rapid design and production of safe and effective vaccines. An ideal platform would be capable of inducing both protective antibodies and potent cellular immune responses. These potential advantages of DNA vaccines remain unrealized due to a lack of efficacy in large animal studies and in human trials. Questions remain regarding the potential utility of cellular immune responses against influenza virus in primates. In this study, by construct optimization and in vivo electroporation of synthetic DNA-encoded antigens, we observed the induction of cross-reactive cellular and humoral immune responses individually capable of providing protection from influenza virus infection in the rhesus macaque. These studies advance the DNA vaccine field and provide a novel, more tolerable vaccine with broad immunogenicity to avian influenza virus. This approach appears important for further investigation, including studies with humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Dominick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Laddy
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Amir S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greenhouse
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manischewitz
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.forename: Ruxandra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Draghia-Akli
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018274:Electroporation; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA