title: Fusion with extracellular domain of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated-antigen 4 leads to enhancement of immunogenicity of Hantaan virus DNA vaccines in C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hantaan virus (HTNV) is the causative agent of the most severe form of a rodent-borne disease known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). A safe and effective HTNV vaccine is needed. Vaccination with DNA constructs expressing fused antigen with bioactive factors, has shown promising improvement of immunogenicity for viral agents in animal models, but the effect of fusion strategy on HTNV DNA vaccine has not been investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA plasmids encoding the HTNV nucleocapsid protein (N) and glycoprotein (Gn and Gc) in fusion to the extracellular domain of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated-antigen 4 (eCTLA-4) targeting to antigen presenting cells (APCs) were constructed. Intramuscular immunization of mice with plasmids expressing eCTLA-4-HTNV-N/GP fusion proteins leads to a significant enhancement of the specific antibody response as well as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response in C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, this effect could be further augmented when co-administered with CpG motifs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modification of viral antigen in fusion to bioactive factor will be promising to confer efficient antigen presentation and improve the potency of DNA vaccine in mice.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC 100 Ying Xin Jie, Xuan Wu Qu, Beijing 100052, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mifang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Shouchun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qinzhi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Quanfu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shiwen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dexin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000276:immunology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018063:Hantaan virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006480:Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C111782:nucleocapsid protein, Hantaan virus; D000069594:Abatacept