title: DNA vaccine expressing HIV-1 gp120/immunoglobulin fusion protein enhances cellular immunity.
abstract: In this study, we explored the possibility of augmenting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120-specific cell-mediated immune responses in mice by means of a DNA vaccine encoding a mouse Ig Fcgamma2a fragment fused with gp120 (gp120-Ig, Ig-gp120). Western blotting analysis revealed that the HIV gp120 protein expression efficiency was higher in cells transfected with the gp120-Ig-coding plasmid (pGp120Ig) than in those transfected with the gp120 and Ig-gp120 expression plasmids (pGp120 and pIgGp120, respectively). pGp120Ig elicited more HIV-specific CD8 T cells and effector memory CD8 T cells than pGp120 in immunized mice. Furthermore, pGp120Ig significantly reduced the viral load after challenge with an HIV Env gp160-expressing vaccinia virus. These results demonstrate that covalent antigen modification with an Ig sequence can modulate antigen-specific cellular immune responses. The approach may be useful for vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biodefense Research, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. mshimada@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshizaki
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jounai
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichino
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryo
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D018274:Electroporation; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA