title: Enhancing DNA vaccine potency by co-administration of xenogenic MHC class-I DNA.
abstract: Intramuscular administration of DNA vaccines can lead to the generation of antigen-specific immune responses through cross-priming mechanisms. We propose a strategy that is capable of leading to local inflammation and enhancing cross-priming, thus resulting in improved antigen-specific immune responses. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the immunological responses elicited through electroporation-mediated intramuscular administration of a DNA vaccine encoding calreticulin (CRT) linked to human papillomavirus type 16 E7 (CRT-E7) in combination with DNA expressing HLA-A2 as compared with CRT-E7 DNA vaccination alone. We found that the co-administration of a DNA vaccine in conjunction with a DNA encoding a xenogenic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule could significantly enhance the E7-specific CD8+ T-cell immune responses and antitumor effects against an E7-expressing tumor, TC-1, in C57BL/6 tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, a similar enhancement in E7-specific immune responses was observed by the co-administration of CRT-E7 DNA with DNA encoding other types of xenogenic MHC class-I molecules. This strategy was also applicable to another antigenic system, ovalbumin. Further characterization of the injection site revealed that the co-administration of HLA-A2 DNA led to a significant increase in the number of infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes and CD11b/c+ antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, the E7-specific immune responses generated by intramuscular co-administration of CRT-E7 with HLA-A2 DNA were reduced in HLA-A2 transgenic mice. Thus, our data suggest that intramuscular co-administration of DNA encoding xenogenic MHC class-I can further improve the antigen-specific immune responses, as well as antitumor effects generated by DNA vaccines through enhancement of cross-priming mechanisms.
authors: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: T H
authors: TH
authors: Kang
authors: J-Y
authors: JY
authors: Chung
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Monie
authors: S I
authors: SI
authors: Pai
authors: C-F
authors: CF
authors: Hung
authors: T-C
authors: TC
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D037282:Calreticulin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045142:Cross-Priming / Q000276:immunology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D039481:CD11b Antigen; D037282:Calreticulin; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D017931:DNA Primers; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16