title: Enhancing DNA immunization by targeting ASFV antigens to SLA-II bearing cells.
abstract: One of the main criticisms to DNA vaccines is the poor immunogenicity that they confer on occasions, at least in large animals. Confirming this theory, immunization with plasmid DNA encoding two African swine fever virus genes in frame (pCMV-PQ), failed in inducing detectable immune responses in pigs, while it was successful in mice. Aiming to improve the immune responses induced in swine, a new plasmid was constructed, encoding the viral genes fused in frame with a single chain variable fragment of an antibody specific for a swine leukocyte antigen II (pCMV-APCH1PQ). Our results clearly demonstrate that targeting antigens to antigen professional cells exponentially enhanced the immune response induced in pigs, albeit that the DNA vaccine was not able to confer protection against lethal viral challenge. Indeed, a viremia exacerbation was observed in each of the pigs that received the pCMV-APCH1PQ plasmid, this correlating with the presence of non-neutralizing antibodies and antigen-specific SLA II-restricted T-cells. The implications of our discoveries for the development of future vaccines against African swine fever virus and other swine pathogens are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Argilaguet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Martín
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Salguero
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacasta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Accensi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nofrarías
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pujols
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Filgueira
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Escribano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000357:African Swine Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000358:African Swine Fever Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D013552:Swine; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C438668:swine leukocyte antigen