title: Effect of immunological adjuvants: GM-CSF (granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor) and IL-23 (interleukin-23) on immune responses generated against hepatitis C virus core DNA vaccine.
abstract: The use of cytokines as adjuvants has been shown to be a promising approach for enhancing DNA vaccine induced-immune responses. In this report, we investigate the administration of cytokines to modulate both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses elicited by an HCV-core plasmid DNA vaccine in Balb/c mice. Our studies indicate that the HCV-core DNA vaccine has been able to induce both antibody and cellular immunity in a DNA prime-protein boost regimen. GM-CSF (granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor) which is considered to be a cytokine displaying both Th1 and Th2 characteristics, and plays an important role in augmenting antibody and cell-mediated immunity was also administered. The induction of cellular immunity was not as striking as humoral immunity in this case. To obtain a stronger cellular response, IL-23, a Th1 cytokine belonging to the IL-12 family, was also included in the regimen. Spleen cell proliferation, IFN-gamma production from spleen cells and specific serum IgG2a, all demonstrate the enhancement of cell-mediated immunity without any observable suppressive effect on antibody and humoral immune responses. We also examined the timing of plasmid IL-23 administration on the phenotype of the resultant T cell responses in a 3 day interval, before and after plasmid GM-CSF administration. The results did not indicate any change in the Th1/Th2 balance as compared with simultaneous IL-23 administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 16 Azar, Enghelab Ave., P.O. Box 1417614411, Tehran, Iran. hartoonian@razi.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartoonian
authors.forename: Massoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebtekar
authors.forename: Hoorieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soleimanjahi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahdavi
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rastgoo
authors.forename: Kayhan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azadmanesh
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D053759:Interleukin-23; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor