title: Plasmid DNA containing multiple CpG motifs triggers a strong immune             response to hepatitis B surface antigen when combined with incomplete Freund's             adjuvant but not aluminum hydroxide.
abstract: Adjuvants are important components of recombinant protein vaccines which             are often poorly immunogenic. For decades, the search for new vaccine adjuvants             has been predominantly empirical. In addition, combinations of more than one adjuvant             plus antigen have been systematically studied. Plasmid DNA containing additional             oligodeoxynucleotides with unmethylated CpG motifs (CpG ODN) entrapped in liposomes             has been used as an adjuvant for DNA vaccines and has shown powerful immunostimulatory             functions. In our study, the combination of plasmid DNA containing 16 additional             CpG ODNs (pv-16CpG) and aluminum hydroxide (AL) or incomplete Freund's adjuvant             (IFA) was used as an adjuvant for a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) vaccine             to immunize C57BL/6J mice. ELISA and ELISPOT assays were used to analyze the immunological             effects of the novel vaccine. A significant enhancement of the anti-HBs titer             and seroconversion was observed when the CpG plasmid was combined with IFA, but             not with AL. In addition, anti-HBs antibody isotype analysis revealed that the             combination of CpG plasmid and IFA induced a strong HBsAg-specific IgG2a response.             Moreover, the ELISPOT assays suggested that pv-16CpG suspended in IFA evoked a             strong T helper 1 (Th1) immune response and high IFN-γ production. These results             demonstrate that pv-16CpG suspended in IFA is able to induce cellular and humoral             immune responses to HBsAg, and confirm its potential as an adjuvant for use in             protein vaccines.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China                     Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan                     610041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Huashan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hailong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fuchun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000276:immunology*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C114843:incomplete Freund's adjuvant; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant