title: DNA electroporation in rabbits as a method for generation of high-titer neutralizing antisera: examples of the botulinum toxins types A, B, and E.
abstract: Raising high titer antibodies in animals is usually performed by protein immunization, which requires the long and sometimes difficult step of production of the recombinant protein. DNA immunization is an alternative to recombinant proteins, only requiring the building of an eukaryotic expression plasmid. Thanks to efficient DNA delivery techniques such as in vivo electroporation, DNA vaccination has proven useful the last few years. In this work, we have shown that it is possible to raise very high antibody titers in rabbit by DNA electroporation of an antigen encoding plasmid in the skeletal muscle with the right set of electrodes and rabbit strain. In a model of botulinum toxins types A and E, the neutralizing titers obtained after three treatments were high enough to fit the European Pharmacopeia, while it did not for type B toxin. Furthermore, the raised antibodies have high avidity and are suitable for in vitro and in vivo immunodetection of proteins.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burgain
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rochard
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Capucine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trollet
authors.affiliation: Unité des Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazuet
authors.affiliation: Unité des Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Michel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Popoff
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Escriou
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scherman
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes; Paris, France; ENSCP Chimie ParisTech; Paris, France; CNRS UMR8151; Paris, France; Inserm U1022; Paris, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bigey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000097:blood*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000992:Antitoxins; D007106:Immune Sera; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C096323:rimabotulinumtoxinB; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; C096326:botulinum toxin type E
keywords: DNA immunization; antiserum; botulinum neurotoxin; electroporation; neutralizing antibodies