title: Targeting viral antigens to CD11c on dendritic cells induces retrovirus-specific T cell responses.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DC) represent the most potent antigen presenting cells and induce efficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against viral infections. Targeting antigens (Ag) to receptors on DCs is a promising strategy to enhance antitumor and antiviral immune responses induced by DCs. Here, we investigated the potential of CD11c-specific single-chain fragments (scFv) fused to an immunodominant peptide of Friend retrovirus for induction of virus-specific T cell responses by DCs. In vitro CD11c-specific scFv selectively targeted viral antigens to DCs and thereby significantly improved the activation of virus-specific T cells. In vaccination experiments DCs loaded with viral Ag targeted to CD11c provided improved rejection of FV-derived tumors and efficiently primed virus-specific CTL responses after virus challenge. Since the induction of strong virus-specific T cell responses is critical in viral infections, CD11c targeted protein vaccines might provide means to enhance the cellular immune response to prophylactic or therapeutic levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Asim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ejaz
authors.forename: Christoph G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ammann
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oberhauser
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hörl
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schimmer
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dittmer
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Laer
authors.forename: Heribert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stoiber
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bánki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D039521:CD11c Antigen; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D010047:Ovalbumin