title: Transdermal immunization with low-pressure-gene-gun mediated chitosan-based DNA vaccines against Japanese encephalitis virus.
abstract: DNA vaccine is a milestone in contemporary vaccine development. It has considerably offset many shortcomings in conventional vaccines. Although DNA vaccines applied through 'traditional' high-pressure gene guns generally elicit high titers of protective immunity, such a practice however requires enormous investment in daunting instruments that often discourage vaccines due to an inevitable pain-eliciting effect. In this study, we exploited a less expensive yet low-pressure-gene-gun that can alleviate such phobia of pain. DNA vaccines were prepared by using the associative feature of cationic chitosan and anionic DNAs. The optimized N/P ratio is 3. The formulized complex sizes to nano-scale. The vaccine complexes were tested in C3H/HeN mice. The expression of GFP reporter gene was observable and traceable in epidermis and spleen over 3 days. The expressions of GFP and the activation of dendritic cells (DCs) were evident and co-localized in hair follicles and epidermis. C3H/HeN mice immunized with the developed chitosan-JEV DNA vaccines can elicit desired JEV specific antibodies, whereby the mice maintained high survival rates against 50xLD(50) JEV challenge. The low-pressure-gene-gun mediated chitosan-based JEV DNA vaccines have proven to be convenient and efficacious, thereby with high capacity in deployment for future prophylaxis against JEV outbreaks.
authors: Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors: Han-Ning
authors: HN
authors: Huang
authors: Tsung-Lin
authors: TL
authors: Li
authors: Yi-Lin
authors: YL
authors: Chan
authors: Chien-Lung
authors: CL
authors: Chen
authors: Chang-Jer
authors: CJ
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000838:Anions; D002465:Cell Movement; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000235:genetics*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D011312:Pressure; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D048271:Chitosan