title: Improvement in efficacy of DNA vaccine encoding HIV-1 Vif by LIGHT gene adjuvant.
abstract: DNA vaccine can induce the prolonged immune responses against the encoded antigen with the appropriate adjuvant. To study the immunogenicity of the HIV-1 vif DNA vaccine in inducing the humoral and cellular immune responses and the immunoadjuvant effect of LIGHT, which is a member of TNF superfamily and can stimulate the proliferation of naïve T cells as a co-stimulatory molecule, DNA vaccine plasmid pcDNA-Vif was constructed by inserting HIV-1 vif gene into the downstream of CMV promoter in eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+). In vitro expression of HIV-1 Vif in pcDNA-Vif-transfected HeLa cells was confirmed in transcriptional and protein level by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. After BALB/c mice were injected muscularly with DNA vaccines for three times, the specific immune responses were analyzed. The data showed that anti-Vif antibody response, Vif-specific T cell proliferation, and CTL activities were induced in the mice that were inoculated with HIV-1 vif DNA vaccine plasmid. Interestingly, stronger humoral and cellular immune responses were detected in mice that were immunized with plasmid pcDNA-Vif and pcDNA-LIGHT together compared to the single immunization with plasmid pcDNA-Vif alone. Together, the results of the study suggest that candidate HIV-1 DNA vaccine can elicit HIV-1 Vif-specific immune responses in mice and that LIGHT plays the role of immunoadjuvant in co-immunization with DNA vaccine.
authors: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Jiani
authors: J
authors: Du
authors: Xiaoyu
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: Fengying
authors: F
authors: Long
authors: Jiejun
authors: J
authors: Wen
authors: Wenli
authors: W
authors: Hao
authors: Ran
authors: R
authors: Chen
authors: Xiaobo
authors: X
authors: Kong
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Qian
authors: Wenzheng
authors: W
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514847:vif protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1